Resonance
by enchanted-nova
Summary: Fourteen years ago the world lost it's will to live and natural disasters tore up the land, but there may be a way to save the world from becoming a barren wasteland. Naruto Uzumaki is a young man living in a small settlement only to find out that he may very well be apart of the world's fatal fall. Together with his friends they band together to find out why their world is dying.
1. Chapter 1

**ONE**

_ The last time I saw him, he told me that I would be apart of something greater. He told me that one day, I would help put the pieces of the puzzle back together. The madness would end and our world would be restored, but that was a long time ago._

The morning sun was rising above the thick forest canopy. Its fiery red and gold rays were reaching out like fingers of the gods, burning away the dark shadows that loomed in the misty forest. There was no movement that morning; it was still and quiet. Naruto Uzumaki turned his face to the east, soaking up the rays of the sun, relishing in the heat.

The summer was upon them and coming up quickly. As the fog was lifting, the balmy climate set in and Naruto opened up his closed eyes. They were the bluest of blues, rich and sparkling in the sunlight. Running his calloused fingers through his yellow-blond hair, Naruto let out a steady breath and crouched down on the tree branch where he was perched. Licking his chapped lips, he closed his eyes and let his head hang between his shoulders. He used his fingers to keep himself from teetering forward and falling to his death.

A crow cried out and he lifted his head. A black shadow flew across the vast golden sky before him. Looking back down at the ground, Naruto sighed tiredly and stood up. Stepping backwards off the tree branch, he let his body fall freely. His hands were outstretched and he grabbed hold of a thin branch, slowing his fall. His feet touched another branch and he continued his climb down. If he didn't move quickly he would be losing his ration notes for the next two months.

With a soft thud, Naruto landed on the ground below that was covered in rotting brown leaves and moss. His boots crunched on the ground quietly as he carefully stepped, each footfall planned. The last thing he wanted to do was spook away the deer he was hunting, he wouldn't have another chance like this. Coming across fresh meat was scarce nowadays, and if he nailed it, he wouldn't have to hunt for another two or three months. Pulling his recurve bow from around his shoulder, Naruto let out a breath and reached for the feathered end of an arrow.

Quietly and swiftly he the arrow from the leather quiver wrapped tightly around his thigh and loaded his bow. Pushing his back against the smooth bark of the pine tree, Naruto kept the tip of the arrow pointed down to the ground. His legs were positioned so that he could pivot on one foot and fire the arrow in the blink of an eye. Listening closely for any movement, Naruto caught the faint bleating sound of the deer he'd been tracking since before dawn. There was a rattling of bushes and Naruto inhaled as he whipped around the tree.

Exhale.

The arrow soared before the deer ever had the chance to run.

* * *

"Now that is a beautiful sight," a man with a long mane of white hair laughed. He had shoulder length bangs that framed both sides of his face, which was painted with two red lines running down his cheeks. "I'm impressed, Naruto. You did learn something from me," Jiraiya, Naruto's god father, joked as the blond came forth with a dusty brown horse adorned with leather satchels.

"Just be happy I thought of you before I took this to the market, you old pervert," Naruto chided with an eye roll.

"You wound me," Jiraiya jested as he walked over and opened up one of the satchels. He looked back at Naruto, who was tying the horse to the wooden post outside of Jiraiya's shack of a house. "How much you selling off?"

"Most of it," Naruto replied quietly and Jiraiya raised a brow in interest. When Naruto glanced at Jiraiya, he quickly looked away and patted the horse's neck. Sighing, Naruto walked over to the water trough on the side of the shack. Dunking his hands into the water, he scooped up the cool liquid and splashed it onto his face.

"That's going to be a hefty sum," Jiraiya mumbled and Naruto leaned forward on the metal trough. "What are you planning to do with all those ration notes?" The man with spiky white mane came up beside Naruto and crossed his arms over his broad chest.

Naruto remained silent, feeling Jiraiya's dark brown eyes gazing down at him.

"Well?" Jiraiya probed, getting impatient.

The blond nineteen-year-old sighed and looked up at Jiraiya for a few short moments before looking back into the water trough. "You already know," Naruto stated and Jiraiya groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Naruto we've been over this squirt," Jiraiya scolded, letting his arms drop to his sides. "Your mother-"

"Is out there somewhere and she's all I got left," Naruto interjected, turning to face Jiraiya completely. The man was bulky and an entire head taller than Naruto, but that didn't scare the teen at all. He knew deep down Jiraiya was a show-off and an old pervert, being the lecturing father type wasn't exactly his thing. "Nothing you say is going to stop me."

"It's been eight months, Naruto," Jiraiya pointed out and Naruto turned away from his god father. He clenched his fist at his side and stared down at the dirt ground below his boots. "There's a good chance that-"

"No!" Naruto growled, whirling around to look up at the man, who had taken care of him for as long as he could remember. "I refuse to believe that she is dead until I see it for myself." His teeth were gritted and he was shaking with anger and grief.

Jiraiya stared at Naruto unsure of what to say to the young man. He knew very well the struggles Naruto had been going through the past eight months since his mother was taken away. Jiraiya was certain that if Naruto hadn't been knocked unconscious during the raid he would have gone after his mother. Unfortunately, Naruto didn't awake until a week later and Jiraiya did the one thing Naruto's mother asked him to do, keep him home...keep him safe. For the past eight months that had been working quite well, but Naruto was a ticking time bomb. He had all these questions and no answers, Jiraiya was afraid that he wouldn't be able to keep him in the safety of their small village.

"Naruto, your mother wanted you to be safe, she turned herself in for your sake," Jiraiya stated grimly, but Naruto only shook his head. It was as if he was refusing to hear what Jiraiya was saying. "Don't throw away her sacrifice," Jiraiya warned, but Naruto scoffed.

"They'll come back, Jiraiya!" Naruto snapped, throwing his hands up in the air. "They were looking for something, something my mother had. And since they haven't returned yet, the only thing I am left to believe is that she is alive."

"How are you so sure about that?" Jiraiya asked with narrowed eyes. "What if she didn't have what they wanted? What if she is dead?"

"I don't know," Naruto paused and looked into the man's eyes, "what if? There is just as good a chance that she is alive that she is dead, either way I'm going to find her."

"Don't be stupid, kid!" Jiraiya exclaimed, his eyes pleading for Naruto to reconsider. "You have a good life here, don't throw it all away." Reaching for Naruto, Jiraiya gave his shoulder a firm squeeze. Being the young, restless, and hard-headed young man that he was, Naruto pushed Jiraiya's hand away.

"Do you remember what my father told me before he abandoned us?" Naruto asked, walking back to the horse. He began to open up a satchel and pulled out a few pieces of meat that were wrapped in a heavy paper and tied by thin beige ropes. Walking over to Jiraiya, Naruto offered up the three pounds of meat. The white haired man took the meat reluctantly and looked at Naruto with worry. "He told me that one day I would be apart of something greater, that I would help put the pieces of the puzzle back together, and I can't do that if I'm stuck here." He let go of the meat and took a step back from Jiraiya.

"Naruto your father did not abandon us," Jiraiya mumbled.

"It's been nine-years!" Naruto barked and Jiraiya flinched. "He's gone because I didn't stop him and now I lost my mom too...I have to try." The blond walked over to the horse and untied him from the wooden post.

"And that's your plan? Just take off?" Jiraiya questioned as Naruto was walking away.

The blond hesitated for a moment, wanting to look back at the man who had taught him everything he knew about living in this apocalyptic world. Jiraiya taught him how to hunt, taught him how to hide, and taught him how to defend himself from the soldiers. Everyone around their shanty town called those soldier's 'dogs' or 'scum', because of all the horrible things they did. No one ever got through unscathed when a squad came through. That was just the way life was now.

Continuing on his way, Naruto left Jiraiya's question unanswered.

* * *

There was a light breeze blowing through the garden, which was more than welcome. It was going to be a hot one, it was barely ten o'clock and the sun was beating down on the small town. Looking up at the warm rays of the sun, Sakura Haruno closed her eyes and basked in it for a few moments. Summer had finally arrived and it was going to be a long one. Looking back down at the wooden troughs filled with dirt, Sakura opened her eyes and continued watering the little sprouts peaking through the black dirt.

She started humming a tune and moved from trough to trough, watering each one generously until she went through all fourteen of them. Putting the watering can down, Sakura peeled off her gardening gloves and lifted up her bubblegum pink hair from the back of her neck. She fanned herself, trying to cool down, at least a little bit. Grabbing her items, she ventured over to the make-shift shed in the back corner of the garden. It was made of sheet metal and was rusting away. They'd have to make repairs soon, otherwise it would just collapse on all their gardening tools.

Stepping into the small shed, Sakura put her gloves on the shelf along with the watering can. The heat was building within the shed and it had a musty odor. Scrunching up her nose, Sakura left the shed and went to stand under the shade of a knotty pine tree. Letting out a breath, the girl with strange pink hair and emerald eyes fell back against the tree. Sliding down, Sakura stretched out her legs and dusted off the knees of her beige capri pants. Crossing one leg over the other, Sakura looked at the scuffs on her black leather boots. Sputtering, Sakura let her head fall back against the pine tree and she gazed up the through the needles of its branches. The sun was just barely breaking through, making it at least a little more comfortable under the shade.

Lowering her gaze, Sakura admired the garden and the picket fence wrapped around it. The boards were cracked and peeling of their paint after countless years in the harsh weather. This summer they would definitely need to fix it, otherwise the woodland creatures would be sneaking in and eating their plants. Running her fingers through her shoulder length hair, Sakura looked over to the house she lived in, on the far right hand side of the garden. She and a woman by the name of Tsunade, who was practically her mother, created this garden and had become the doctor's of the town.

While they could only do so much with plants, roots, and salves, it helped ease some ailments that befell the town. In the small town, there were approximately fifty people that resided there within the large metal walls. When Sakura was only a child this place was nothing more than a small clearing in the middle of a pine tree forest, but now they made it into a small shanty town. She was five years old when everything fell apart in the world, everything just stopped. There was no power at all, no machines worked, no governments, no anything it all just ceased to exist.

All that happened fourteen years ago, and now she was a nineteen year old girl working as an apothecary with a woman, who took her in after her parents had been ruthlessly murdered by bandits when she was seven. There were nights when she had nightmares about their deaths, the blood, the screaming, the running, and the fire. Those images were burned into her mind, her parents were not the only ones killed that night though, fifteen people died that night. That's when they decided to build the metal walls, to protect those who lived inside. There was no order in the world anymore, people just did what they had to in order to survive.

Sakura looked down at her hands resting in her lap. Sighing, she smoothed out her red t-shirt and got back onto her feet. If she stayed sitting around too long, Tsunade would scold her. Just as she was about to head to her home, the sound of a horse nickering caught her attention. She stopped and turned to the front gate of the garden. A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth when she saw Naruto Uzumaki standing there with his horse.

"Naruto," she whispered, walking over to him. He nodded to her as she got to the gate and pushed it open. "What are you doing here?" she asked, looking to the satchel's hanging from the horse's back.

"I wanted to give you and the old lady some of this," Naruto replied as he held up two steaks that were wrapped in brown paper and tied closed by a rope. "And I have some for Sasuke too, I couldn't find him, so if you see him can you give him some?" Naruto asked with a soft smile as he handed the first two over to Sakura and grabbed another two from one of the satchels.

"Of course," Sakura smiled and took the other two packs of meat. "What's wrong?" she questioned upon noticing Naruto's tense state. He seemed uneasy and almost as though he was battling within himself. Sakura had known Naruto since before the world stopped, they lived on the same street and their parents were friends.

"Nothing," Naruto murmured and Sakura tilted her head, giving him a disbelieving look. She knew Naruto well enough to know when something was on his mind. He would get this distant look in his eyes and he would be awfully quiet. Everyone in the entire town knew that when Naruto was quiet, something was bothering him. After all, Naruto was a loud mouth most of the time, until his mother was taken. When his mother was taken, Naruto became quiet and sullen.

"You're lying," Sakura said.

"I have to go," Naruto smiled at her weakly and clicked his tongue. The horse nickered and they started walking. Sakura narrowed her eyes at Naruto and got in his way. When he stopped, he sighed in annoyance and Sakura stared at him expectantly. "Sakura."

"What ever knuckle-headed idea you have in your head, don't do it," Sakura chided and Naruto snickered, rolling his pretty blue eyes. The pinkette in front of him looked almost as if she was begging him. "And if Sasuke were here he'd be saying the same thing."

"This is something that I have to do," Naruto whispered, looking down at the ground. If he looked at Sakura, he knew she would be able to talk him out of it. That's just the effect that she had on him. "You of all people should be able to understand this."

"Well I don't," Sakura snapped, shaking her head.

"Sakura, you know what happened to your parents, and I don't know what happened to mine," Naruto paused for a moment and glanced at the young woman, "They are out there somewhere and I have to find them, staying here is just wasting time."

"What are you talking about? We're safe here," Sakura spoke out.

"Those people who took my mother...they wanted something," Naruto explained and gripped the lead rope in his hands tightly. "Do you remember what I told you? About what my father said before he left?"

"You can't honestly believe this is all connected," Sakura grumbled, but when she looked into Naruto's eyes, she could see that he really did. Sighing heavily, Sakura shook her head and knew that no amount of arguing would stop him. "When are you leaving?" she asked softly.

"Tomorrow at dawn," Naruto replied and Sakura nodded her head slowly. "I'll be okay." He smiled at her and walked on. Sakura didn't turn around as she listened to the horse's hooves clopping on the ground. Swallowing hard, Sakura walked back to her house and climbed up the front porch steps. Before she went inside, Sakura turned around and looked down the road, watching Naruto's form shrink in the distance.

* * *

Sasuke Uchiha was sitting by the creek, listening to the water gurgling over the rocks. He sighed softly and fell back on the soft grass, laying his arm over his eyes. The sun broke through the trees above and speckled him with rays of light. Relaxing in the warmth of the sun, Sasuke could feel himself ready to drift off into a nap. The wind blew by gently, his coal black hair tickled his arm and he sat up. His equally dark eyes scanned the area around him, but his ears pricked to the sound of crunching leaves.

"We have to leave," Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke's older brother, said as he walked through the trees. Furrowing his brows, Sasuke stood up and gave his brother a quizzical look. "They're coming."

"Who?" Sasuke asked, but when Itachi looked at him the answer became clear. "When will they arrive?" He picked up his pack and slung it over his shoulder. Itachi shook his head and waved for Sasuke to follow him. He was moving quickly, weaving through the trees almost like he was a ghost. Becoming worried, Sasuke quickly followed his older brother back to the small shanty town they had called home for the past fourteen years.

"They're coming for him," Itachi said and Sasuke raised his brow. Suddenly, Itachi was running and Sasuke darted after his brother, calling his name. Sasuke had never seen Itachi so worried and flustered. At the rate they were moving they would be back to the town in ten minutes.

Itachi Uchiha was the handsome young guard of the shanty town. He was intuitive and brave, every move he made had a purpose. That's just the type of person Itachi was, and after their parents died during the first year of the power stopping and the natural disasters that followed, he really took to that role. Their mother was killed when they were coming to the shanty town, she was murdered in cold blood for some food and their father drowned in a river after a terrible rain storm.

After they settled with the group that established the shanty town, Itachi created a guard for the town. It took a while for them to perfect what they had now, and many lives were lost in the process, but now their shanty town was one of the safest in the Fire Region.

"Itachi what's going on?" Sasuke asked as he followed behind his brother.

"I'll explain later, just run," Itachi commanded as he jumped down from a ledge and continued running. Sasuke skidded to a stop and panted heavily. Cursing under his breath, Sasuke jumped down and tried his best to keep up with his brother.

Just up ahead, Sasuke could see Jiraiya's little shack. The old man lived outside of the village by himself. Itachi had stopped on the road and was looking at the shack. Sasuke stopped beside his brother, panting heavily and looked at him as sweat trickled down his face. He was about to say something, but Itachi walked away and moved towards the house before Sasuke had a chance.

As Itachi was walking up, Jiraiya came out of the shack and stopped when he noticed the Uchiha boys standing in his front yard. Taking in a deep breath, a solemn look came over Jiraiya's face and he nodded towards the door. Itachi told Sasuke to wait outside on the porch. The younger boy was about to protest, but Itachi shushed him and went inside with Jiraiya and shut the door. Groaning, Sasuke gave in and plopped down on the front porch steps.

* * *

Dust rose up from the dry ground, clouding the road as they came forward, heading straight for the small shanty town on the far west end of the forest. The horse hooves clapped on the ground, the wheels of the wagons squeaked loudly, and the heavy footfalls of the soldiers marched in a low rhythm. They were dressed in their full uniforms of off-white pants, black calf-high boots, and burnt sienna colored coats with silver buttons. The soldiers marched along side the three wagons that carried their supplies from food, tents, and weaponry.

"There it is, General Orochimaru," one man spoke as they were heading down a mountainside. Far off in the distance, in a clearing below the mountain, the small shanty town that Naruto Uzumaki lived in was situated with no clue of the danger brewing. "We'll be there within the hour."

"Excellent," General Orochimaru spoke with a hiss like a snake. His eyes were golden with black slits, his skin was abnormally pale, and his hair was waist length and blacker than the night sky. "Let's try to do this quietly, shall we?" the serpent like man mused as he spurred his horse forward.

* * *

**Author's Note: **This is my first attempt at a true adventure/action story with romance on the side. I will admit I got the idea from both Revolution and The Walking Dead as well as Avatar: The Last Airbender and Final Fantasy. This story is undoubtedly an AU story, so the canon characters will obviously be a little OOC sometimes, however I hope that will not deter you from reading further. I would appreciate your feedback, but please refrain from being overly critical. I am a big believer of if you have nothing nice to say then do not say it, of course I am willing to hear your thoughts on the story though.

I hope you all can enjoy this story and if it receives many favorites/reviews/follows I will be sure to continue it and I will update as frequently as possible. Also I am in need of a beta for typos and grammar errors, so if anyone is interested in looking over a chapter or two for me, I would be grateful. Until next time everyone, thank you so much for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**TWO**

The young man was packing his belongings, debating on what he would leave behind and what he would bring along. He only planned on bringing one back, so many things he had to leave behind. He picked up a leather bound book that was tattered and stained. Running her hand over the cover, Naruto licked his lips and walked over to the fireplace in the corner of the room. Staring into the fire, he watched the flames lash out beckoning him to toss the book into it. Really, it wasn't just any book it was his father's journal, the last thing Naruto had of his father. Closing his eyes, Naruto cursed under his breath and dropped the journal on the floor.

Going back over to his pack, Naruto stuffed in a few more articles of clothing. Looking up, he looked out the window and could see Sakura's house at the end of the road. Shaking his head, Naruto told himself to get over it. He had to leave, he couldn't stay anymore. If what his father said was true, staying in the shanty town would never bring him to greatness. Naruto wasn't even sure what good he would be to the world. When the power went out and the natural disasters tore up the world, he was just a child. He could hardly remember what it was like, everything was just vague memories.

He finished packing everything that he would be taking. Sighing, Naruto decided to go outside and soak up the heat for a little while. Jiraiya's words hadn't stopped echoing in his head since he parted with him earlier in the day. When he saw Sakura, Jiraiya's voice only seemed to get louder. Walking out of the ramshackle house, Naruto looked over to the make-shift stable he had made when his mother purchased that dusty brown horse. For the past few weeks, that horse had been a good companion to him.

Walking over to the gate of the stall, Naruto leaned against it and the horse nickered at him. Smiling weakly, Naruto held his hand out and chuckled when the horse nuzzled it gently, begging for a treat. Stroking the creature's face, Naruto apologized that he had nothing to offer the four legged animal. As if the horse was unsatisfied, it turned away and went over to his feed bucket. Running his fingers through his spiky hair, Naruto watched the horse and wondered if he should take him along or leave him behind.

Taking a horse would be a lot faster, but at the same time he couldn't afford to keep him on the road. Turning around, Naruto looked out at the small shanty town. Dirt roads going in a few different directions with houses and shacks dotting the sidelines, their were gardens of vegetables, even a few chicken coops, some corrals for the goats and cows, and a few wagons parked about. A few miles down the road there was a trading post, which was were Naruto went to sell the deer he'd killed and quartered up. Just as Jiraiya had said, he brought in a large sum of ration notes. The amount would be just enough to get him to the capital of the Fire Region.

Watching the farmers till their gardens, Naruto leaned back on the gate of the horse stall. His eyes glanced up at the scorching sun overhead. Shading his eyes with his hands, Naruto looked back over at Sakura's house again. He hated to leave, but it was the only option he had left, staying was basically a death sentence. Somewhere out there his mother was still alive, he just knew it. Those men that took her, he could never forget their faces. They were clad in the Fire Region's military uniform and they were fully armed.

They asked for his father when they came, demanding he show himself. Of course, Naruto's father had left years prior to that. Whether he was dead or alive remained to be seen. When they couldn't provide his father, the leader of the group demanded that Kushina, his mother, be taken in his stead. Naruto was going to stop her, but Kushina agreed and had Tsunade and Jiraiya knock him out. The next thing he knew, he was in his room and an entire week had gone by.

He thought about it everyday. How could he not? They wanted his father, but he was long gone. Instead they take his mother and he never understood why, but he had to know. He asked Jiraiya why they took her, but he swore that he had no idea. Naruto wasn't sure whether the old timer was telling the truth or lying, but either way it didn't matter. He was going to find the answers for himself.

Naruto soon realized he wasn't in the shanty town anymore, he was out in the forest. He looked back and saw the metal wall surrounding it. Just at the top of the hill he could see the hole he snuck in and out of all the time when he was a child. He never repaired it even when his mother told him too. That hole in the fence was another way out if anything ever went wrong. It was the same escape he and his friend's used when they were just ten years old. Whenever they got bored of being in the town, they'd sneak out into the forest and play around for a while.

"I might actually miss this place," Naruto mused as he looked away from the metal fence and around at the forestry. He put his hand on the smooth bark of a maple tree and looked at the flowering weeds surrounding it.

Continuing on his way, Naruto decided to go visit the old playground just a little further down. Before the end of the world, this entire place used to be a national park of some sort. A few places contained pavilions, pools, and playgrounds, of course most of them were falling apart due to lack of care. As he followed the trail, Naruto shoved his hands into the pockets of his vest and remembered the countless time he and his friend's snuck out to come play at the playground.

Those were the best times, when he was just a goofy kid getting into trouble. Things were different now though, he couldn't be that kid anymore. There was something burning inside of him, this feeling in the pit of his stomach, telling him that he had to leave. He wasn't sure if it was because he had to save his mother or because of what his father told him, but either way he couldn't deny the feeling anymore.

* * *

Sakura was robotically crushing the herbs to make a salve. She couldn't stop thinking about Naruto leaving, she wanted Sasuke and his brother to return from wherever they went, so maybe they could talk some sense into him. She assumed Naruto had already spoken to Jiraiya about it, but obviously it changed nothing. The pinkette stopped stirring and sighed softly, maybe it really was time for Naruto to go. Ever since his mother had been taken he hadn't been the same.

Running her fingers through her hair, Sakura looked at the jars of herbs scattered about the table. Shaking her head, Sakura turned around and walked over to the cupboard behind her to get a few more empty jars. Sometimes, Sakura had to admit that the idea of getting out of this shanty town was desirable. There was nothing special about the town, everyday was bleak and plain. Her curiosity got the better of her sometimes, she wondered what it was like out there.

The bells on the front door jingled and Sakura turned her attention, assuming it was a costumer. To her surprise it was Jiraiya, Tsunade's good friend, walking in with a worried look on his face. He was panting, almost as if he had run from his home all the way here.

"Master Jiraiya? Is everything alright?" Sakura asked.

"Where's Tsunade?" Jiraiya inquired, walking over to the table Sakura was working at. The sweat beaded on his forehead and fell down his face and from the tip of his nose. "I need to talk to her, it's an emergency," he explained and Sakura nodded her head in understanding.

"She's out back in the garden," Sakura replied, pointing to the back door. Through the square window, Tsunade could be seen cutting up some herbs and placing them into a basket. Jiraiya thanked the pinkette and quickly went out to speak with Tsunade. When the door clicked closed, Sakura walked over to the window and watched them. "What's going on?" Sakura wondered aloud.

The bells on the door jingled again and Sakura turned around. Her brows furrowed together when Itachi was standing in the doorway. Walking over to Sakura, Itachi looked out the square window and saw Jiraiya and Tsunade outside. He let out a breath and looked to Sakura, who seemed completely confused about everything going on.

"Sakura I need you to listen very carefully," Itachi began as he pulled her away from the door and into the middle of the room. "You and Sasuke need to take Naruto to Konoha. Find a man by the name of Kakashi Hatake, okay?" Itachi asked her.

"Why do we need to find him?" Sakura questioned.

"You'll need his help," Itachi answered and looked up at the door as Jiraiya and Tsunade walked into the house. The older Uchiha turned to Tsunade and Jiraiya. "We don't have much time."

Tsunade walked over to Sakura and looked her right in the eyes. Never had the blonde woman seemed so worried and it scared Sakura little bit. Things had been so peaceful in their little town since Naruto's mother had been taken. No one had bothered them, nothing had gone wrong, and now all of the sudden things were changing. Putting her hands on Sakura's shoulders, Tsunade's amber eyes bore into Sakura's. "We need to go," Tsunade whispered and Sakura gave her a worried expression. "Now."

"What's happening?" Sakura asked in a low voice. "Why do we have to leave?"

"I'll explain later, pack your things we're going," Tsunade stated firmly and let go of Sakura turning back to Itachi and Jiraiya. "Go get Naruto."

"I sent Sasuke to get him," Itachi replied.

"He's gone," Sasuke said upon entering the house. The four looked at him as he stood in the doorway, panting lightly. "I have no idea where he went either." He shrugged his shoulders and Jiraiya cursed under his breath.

There was a commotion going on outside and Itachi walked over to the window. His eyes widened when he saw that the military forces had arrived. They were out in the town square and looking around while the townspeople ran into their homes to hide. Itachi shook his head, they were out of time and they had no idea where Naruto was. Letting out a breath, Itachi turned around and looked at Jiraiya.

"We're going to buy you some time," Jiraiya said to Tsunade and put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to him and started shaking her head, wanting to protest. "You have to go with them, Tsunade." He smiled at her weakly and the blonde woman closed her eyes, nodding her head slowly.

"What about you?" she asked him, placing her hand on his.

"I can handle Orochimaru," Jiraiya assured her and Tsunade laughed lightly. "Hurry, you only have a few minutes." He looked over to Itachi, who was talking to Sasuke. The younger Uchiha was shaking his head as Itachi was talking.

Cupping his hand around the back of Sasuke's neck, Itachi pulled his younger brother forward and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead. Smiling at his younger brother, Itachi let go of Sasuke and turned to look at Jiraiya. "You get them there, Sasuke, you get them there."

"Itachi what the hell is going on?" Sasuke hissed at his brother. Itachi smiled at Sasuke and lifted his hand, poking him in the head. It was something he used to do all the time when he was growing up. Whenever Itachi would take him out to train, he'd always flick Sasuke's forehead. "Itachi." The older Uchiha sighed heavily and closed his eyes for a few moments.

"Things are about to get really bad, Sasuke. Everything I have taught you about survival, it's time to put it to use," Itachi informed his brother, who didn't understand anything his brother was getting at. "I know it doesn't make sense, but right now I don't have time to explain. You just have to trust me, you can do this." Itachi smiled at his brother and nodded to him before going over to Jiraiya.

"Itachi!" Sasuke shouted about to go after him, but Tsunade grabbed his arm and yanked him back. "Let me go!" Sasuke growled, but the busty blonde woman shook her head. When Sasuke's onyx eyes fell back to the back door, Jiraiya and Itachi were already gone.

"Sasuke listen to me, we don't have time. You need to saddle our horses and we needed to move, now." Tsunade was staring right into his eyes and gripping his arm tightly. The young man closed his eyes and let his head fall between his shoulders. He had no idea what was going on, but he nodded his head and went out the door to the corrals behind the house. Tsunade watched him for a moment before she turned back to Sakura. Just like Sasuke, Sakura had a confused and scared expression on her face. "Pack your things, we have to go." Tsunade walked to her room and Sakura let out a breath before running into hers to pack her things.

* * *

General Orochimaru dismounted from his horse and dusted off his coat. He handed the reins to one of his soldiers and walked forward, looking around the small town. It was filled with crops and animals, very prosperous. The wind blew gently and Orochimaru let out a breath, taking off his brown leather gloves. He stuffed them into his long trench coat and saw all the townspeople looking at him. Mother's started hiding their children, father's came forth with shovels and axes, and Orochimaru's soldiers put their hands on their swords.

"What a beautiful little town," Orochimaru commented, gesturing to the small homes, the gardens, and the walls. He looked around with his golden snake like eyes and smirked when a head of white hair came walking forth. "Well, well so the rumors are true." Orochimaru chuckled lightly as his eyes fell onto Jiraiya.

"Orochimaru, what a pleasant surprise," Jiraiya greeted as he held his arms out wide. He stopped a few feet away from Orochimaru and let his arms fall to his side. "What brings you here?" Jiraiya asked, eyeing the snake man curiously.

"I'm looking for the boy," Orochimaru explained simply, putting his hands behind his back. Jiraiya nodded slowly and licked his lips, looking down at the dirt road beneath his feet. "I'm sure you know who I'm talking about."

"Yeah, but why do you need him?" Jiraiya asked and Orochimaru smirked, chuckling lightly to himself. He shook his head and took a step forward, looking at Jiraiya in disbelief. "Humor me."

Orochimaru raised a brow and clicked his tongue. "The Sharingan Federation is making its move," Orochimaru paused and smirked, licking his lips, "Now tell me where the boy is."

"He isn't here," Itachi spoke as he came from behind a small shed, holding a crossbow in his hands. It was aimed at Orochimaru and three of his men all turned to Itachi with their own weapons. "So take your men and get out of here."

"Itachi Uchiha," Orochimaru chuckled and turned to face the man with the coal black hair tied in a low ponytail. "There's a high sum on your head, must be my lucky day." Orochimaru looked at his men and gestured for them to lower their weapons. They did as they were ordered and relaxed even though Itachi was still aiming his weapon at Orochimaru.

"Leave, now." Itachi's voice was fearless and his hand was steady. He slowly moved his finger to the trigger, ready to pull it at a moments notice. His dark eyes never left Orochimaru, who was just staring at him.

"Itachi," Jiraiya warned, but the Uchiha just shook his head. "Put it down." He edged towards Itachi, standing in the line of fire. Orochimaru's men suddenly lifted up their weapons again, but this time Orochimaru didn't stop them. Jiraiya looked at the men and shook his head before he looked back at Itachi.

* * *

**BANG! BANG!**

Naruto's head snapped up and he looked in the direction of his town. He stood up from the swing he was sitting on and darted for the town. As he was running up the hill, he skidded to a stop when he saw Tsunade a top of gray horse. Naruto gave her a quizzical look and furrowed his brows when Sasuke came riding up on a black horse with Sakura's arms wrapped around his waist. The blond felt his heart pounding against his chest.

"Naruto we have to go," Tsunade said suddenly and held her hand out to him. "Come on!" she barked at him and the blond shook his head, running around them. He needed to know what those sounds were, he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Naruto!" Sasuke called out his friend's name, but Naruto didn't even hesitate. "Naruto! Come back!" the Uchiha shouted, but it was no use Naruto didn't stop. Shaking his head, Sasuke cursed under his breath and looked to Tsunade. The blonde woman sighed softly and shook her head, dismounting from her horse.

"I'm going to get him, you two wait here," Tsunade ordered and ran after the young man. Sakura called for Tsunade and was about to dismount the horse, but Sasuke stopped her.

"Sasuke what's going on?" Sakura asked him.

"I wish I knew," Sasuke whispered and Sakura looked at him with worry glowing in her green eyes. "I don't like this, but Itachi told us to go, he told me I had to get you three to Konoha. I'm doing that." Sasuke looked away from Sakura and looked out into the forest, shaking his head slowly. This was not what he had in mind when he woke up this morning and went on a hunt with Itachi.

"Why is the military here?" Sakura asked, but Sasuke didn't answer because he honestly had no clue what was going on. His brother didn't tell him anything, but he had a feeling that once they finally arrived in Konoha they might get some answers. Unfortunately for them, Konoha was a one week trek on horseback.

* * *

After a five minute sprint, Naruto could see the shanty town's metal walls. Panting heavily, Naruto started walking up to the wall. He could see the back entrance and quietly snuck towards. He peaked within and his eyes widened in terror. Lying in the middle of the street were four dead bodies. Naruto was about to rush in, but Tsunade caught his arm and pulled him back. He glared at her and was about to yell at her, but she slapped her hand down on his mouth. She hissed for him to keep his mouth shut and pulled him away from the wall. He didn't come easily though, but Tsunade was a lot stronger than she looked.

"Naruto stop!" Tsunade whispered harshly in his ear when she got him behind some bushes. She pushed him down on the ground and glared at him with dark amber eyes. "You can't go in there." She shook her head and Naruto glared right back at her. He got onto his feet and dusted himself off.

"What the hell is going on? Why are people dead?" Naruto growled.

"The military is here, we have to go," Tsunade explained and Naruto furrowed his brows in confusion. He tried to run up there again, but Tsunade pushed him back against a tree. She pinned him there and shook her head. "Naruto, Jiraiya and Itachi are giving us a chance. We need to leave, right now."

"Jiraiya?" Naruto's voice cracked when he spoke. Tsunade closed her eyes and nodded stiffly. She hated that she said it, but she couldn't lie to him. "I have to-"

"No!" Tsunade hissed, pushing Naruto back. He looked at her and shook his head. There was no way in hell Naruto was leaving. Grasping Tsunade's arms, he yanked her down and kneed her in the stomach. The older woman gasped and stumbled over. Naruto apologized and quickly ran up to the metal fence, going straight through the hole in the wall.

His eyes widened in shock as he looked around the small town he'd grown up in for the last thirteen years. He shook his head and felt the tears pricking at his eyes. All around him were bodies of his neighbors and friends. His fist clenched tightly at his sides and he walked down the streets, it looked like no one had survived the attack. Looking towards some of the houses, Naruto saw a few people within the safety of their homes. He felt a little more relief knowing that some had managed to survive, but fifteen people lay dead in the street.

Walking towards the front entrance of the small town, Naruto froze when he saw a man laying face down in the dirt with three arrows protruding from his back. He swallowed hard and felt his tears falling down his face. Trembling, Naruto let out a shaky breath and slowly started making his way to the body. A mess of white hair and a pool of blood surrounding him. Weeping quietly, Naruto fell to his knees between the body of his god-father and best friend, Jiraiya.

"No, no, no...please," Naruto muttered, tasting his salty tears. He shook his head and grabbed the arrows, pulling them out of Jiraiya's back. Grabbing the man, he gently flipped him over and cradled his head in his hands. "Jiraiya, wake up...please, wake up!" Naruto sobbed, shaking his head and touching the old timer's face.

Tsunade walked up slowly and fought the urge to cry. She covered her mouth and shook her head, seeing jiraiya's dead body laying in the middle of the street. Taking in a deep breath, Tsunade knelt down beside Naruto and let out the breath. Naruto was sobbing into Jiraiya's chest, rocking him back and forth, begging him to wake up. It broke her heart to see him like that, but they couldn't stay and mourn.

"Naruto, we have to go," Tsunade said softly, reaching for the boy.

Naruto continued to sob and didn't even acknowledge the woman's presence. She frowned and scooted closer to him, putting her hand on his shoulder. When her eyes fell onto Jiraiya's face, she let out a few sobs herself.

"Naruto, please," Tsunade begged through her tears. "He did this for you, now get up." She got onto her feet and stared down at Naruto.

"Why...why does everyone...that I care about...why do they leave me?" Naruto sobbed, looking down at Jiraiya. He touched the side of the man's face and swallowed hard.

"Naruto I know this is hard, but we have to go. You can't lose it right now," Tsunade told him gently. "Jiraiya was a great man, but he's gone now." Those words struck her deep, even though he was right in front of them, she still couldn't believe he was dead. Naruto let out a breath and laid Jiraiya's head on the ground, getting up to his feet.

"I'm sorry, Jiraiya," Naruto whispered and walked away. Tsunade watched Naruto go and felt her tears roll down her cheeks once more. She looked down at Jiraiya and bit her lip, holding in her sobs.

"I'll take care of him," she whispered, kneeling down and kissing his lips. Pulling away, she gently stroked his cheek and said her goodbyes.

* * *

**Author's Note: **So what do you all think so far? Keep or Kill? I appreciate your feedback, thanks for reading and until next time! Also my apologies for grammar mistakes, I'm not so good with that stuff.


	3. Chapter 3

**THREE**

Itachi sat in the back of the wagon quietly, chained to the metal railing with no hope of escaping from Orochimaru's squad. Sighing softly, Itachi looked at the men as they marched along side the wagon. He shook his head and prayed that Sasuke and the other's made it out safely. Everything had happened so fast before he could even blink Jiraiya was shot down. Itachi managed to take down two men himself before he was struck in the shoulder. The wound still stung, but Orochimaru had him bandaged up.

Looking over his shoulder, Itachi could see Orochimaru on his spotted horse. There was no telling what would happen on their trek back to the main base of the Fire Region's military. Itachi looked at his wrist that were bound by chains. They were tight and nearly cutting off the circulation. He pulled at them a bit, but knew that it was useless. Closing his eyes, Itachi cursed under his breath. Of course, if he broke free he couldn't handle all thirty of Orochimaru's men.

"So tell me, Itachi, why have you been hiding away in that tiny little shanty town?" Orochimaru asked as he pulled his horse back, walking along side the wagon at a steady pace. The older Uchiha glanced up at Orochimaru and shook his head, refusing to answer. "It's a long trip back, you might as well learn to like me." Itachi glared at Orochimaru and scoffed.

There was no denying it was a long trip back almost a two week walk. The base was located on the eastern boarder and within that base was the one man Itachi never wanted to see again. It had been years since Itachi had seen him of course, nearly ten years.

"You're a wanted man," Orochimaru said with a smirk and Itachi glanced at him for a moment. "You took out fifty men in the past three years."

"They were pigs," Itachi retorted and Orochimaru laughed lightly.

"They were soldiers, your cousin's soldiers," Orochimaru pointed out. Itachi looked away and closed his eyes. "He's been looking for you."

"He's been looking for a lot of people," Itachi replied curtly. Orochimaru snickered and nodded his head, knowing that was very true. The Fire Region's forces were one to be reckoned with while they were not the strongest they could definitely hold their own in a battle and it was all thanks to their leader and founder Obito Uchiha.

"It'll be a very fun, family reunion," Orochimaru commented, slapping the rein's on his horse's neck. Itachi snorted and watched the man ride up to the front of the line. There was no telling what Obito would do once they arrived, but either way Itachi would not tell him anything.

* * *

Sakura and Sasuke were standing at the old playground that was overgrown with weeds and the jungle gym was wrapped in vines. The pinkette sat on the swing, listening to it creak as it swayed under her weight. She stared down at the ground and kicked at the dead leaves. They crunched and flopped about, damp and moldy. Her green eyes studied the wet ground and she sighed softly. Naruto and Tsunade had been gone for a while and she was getting worried. First Tsunade had her pack her things and rush out of the town and now they were just sitting around. Running her fingers through her hair, Sakura looked up through the tangled tree branches and assumed it was roughly two o'clock in the afternoon.

"Where are they?" Sasuke grumbled as he looked down the trail that lead back to the town. He was getting very antsy, not that Sakura could blame him. The fear in Tsunade's eyes, the urgency in Itachi's words, and the worry in Jiraiya's eyes just couldn't be so easily dropped. "It's been half an hour already." Sasuke shook his head as he paced in front of the swing set.

Sakura watched him go back and forth. Sighing softly, Sakura let her head hang between her shoulders and stared at the ground. They had a long journey ahead of them and she was afraid of what they would encounter along the way. She'd heard stories from many travelers and merchants, saying that there were many thugs and gangs out there and they couldn't forget about the animals and poisonous plants. Sakura had never been farther than a mile away from the town, she only went out to gather medicinal herbs or to visit Jiraiya with Tsunade. She never really had a reason to venture out into the wilderness like Sasuke and Naruto did, but even they hadn't been very far from the town.

"I'm going back for them," Sasuke said suddenly and Sakura lifted her gaze.

"Sasuke," Sakura warned, but the young man shook his head and walked over to his horse. "Wait, what if something bad happened?" the pinkette questioned as she stood up from the swing.

"If that's the case, Sakura, then this trip is over. My brother said I had to get you, Naruto, and Tsunade to Konoha," Sasuke explained as he remained his brother's stern voice. He shook his head and untied his horse from the low tree branch. "I'll be back, wait here."

"You're going to leave me by myself after the military just showed up in our town?" Sakura asked, her voice dripping with worry.

"Yeah, Sakura, I am," Sasuke replied curtly as he climbed onto the saddled horse. "Just wait here."

"This is a bad idea," Sakura said quickly before he could ride off.

"Do you have a better one other than sitting around doing nothing?" he shot back at her and Sakura glared at him.

"Staying put," Tsunade's voice came and the two quickly turned to the trail. Sighing in relief, Sakura smiled weakly as the blonde woman came walking down the trail. A few steps behind her, looking glum and hurt, Naruto trailed behind with his dusty brown horse following behind him.

Naruto drug his feet with each step.

"What happened back there? Why did Itachi tell us to leave?" Sasuke demanded.

"Calm down," Tsunade hissed at him. "I understand this is a lot to take in, but we can't stay. We have to keep moving." She walked over to her horse.

"No way! Where's my brother?" Sasuke snapped and Tsunade sighed heavily as she untied her horse from the tree branch. The young Uchiha eyed her suspiciously and she could see that anger glowing in his eyes. "I'm not going anywhere until I know what's going on."

"Jiraiya's dead," Naruto spoke out.

Sasuke and Sakura both looked at their friend with shocked expressions.

"They wiped out more than half the town," Naruto said softly as he stared at the ground. He couldn't get the image of Jiraiya's body laying in a pool of blood. When he looked back up his eyes locked with Sasuke's, "we don't have a home to go back to anymore, so the only thing we can do is move on." Naruto sighed sadly and walked around to the side of his horse, mounting him effortlessly.

"What about Itachi?" Sasuke questioned quickly, looking from Naruto to Tsunade. The older woman's back was to him and she didn't plan on facing him. "Naruto!" Sasuke snapped and the blue-eyed boy looked at him.

"I didn't see him," Naruto answered.

Sasuke's face was expressionless and he didn't utter a single word. He didn't know how to take that little bit of information. There was no telling whether his brother was dead or alive, but now it became clear that he had to do what his brother asked of him. Running his fingers through his hair, Sasuke Uchiha cursed under his breath and looked to Tsunade, who was now atop of horse.

"We need to put some distance between us and the military," Tsunade said as she urged her horse to move forward. "Hurry."

Sakura watched Tsunade ride off further into the forest and felt worry come over her. The military had wiped out their home, Itachi was missing, and Jiraiya was dead. It made no sense to Sakura how Tsunade was being so strong and brave about all of this. Jiraiya was her friend, someone she loved and treasured so dearly. Sakura looked down at the ground and bit her lip before looking back up.

Sasuke clicked his tongue and his horse followed Tsunade's down the trail. Sakura watched him go and could see the storm clouds in his eyes. He may have been trying to act stoic and unperturbed, but Itachi was everything to Sasuke. Without Itachi, Sasuke would most likely fall apart. Sakura couldn't think about that though, if Itachi was not dead beside Jiraiya that meant he was still alive. Being alive and captured was a hell of a lot better than being dead in a pool of your own blood.

"Come on," Naruto said as he rode up beside Sakura. He held his hand out to her and she nodded, taking hold of his hand as he pulled her up. She sat in front of him, holding loosely to the horse's mane while Naruto's arms were positioned on either side of her.

"I'm sorry, Naruto," Sakura said to him quietly before they started riding off after Sasuke and Tsunade.

* * *

_They were standing just outside of the walls of the shanty town. It was mid-afternoon during the spring time, the sky was turning grey and the air was humid. There was a petrichor stench in the air and it was very still._

_ "Why do you have to go?" a ten-year-old Naruto questioned with tears in his eyes. His father with his mess of blond hair and rich blue eyes knelt down before his son. He put a hand on the child's head and ruffled his hair in a playful manner. "I don't want you to go," Naruto whispered to his father, who gave him a gentle smile and pulled him into a tight embrace. He made that hug count because there was a good chance it would be the last time he'd ever see his son._

_ "I love you, Naruto," his father said just before kissing the side of his face. When he pulled back, Minato cupped his son's face in his hands, gently stroking the boy's soft cheeks. "I'll be back...someday," Minato said, but he wasn't sure if it was the truth or a lie._

_ "But why do you have to leave?" the ten year old asked as he stared into his father's eyes. His tears started to fall and Minato smiled weakly as he brushed them away with his thumbs. "We need you, dad," Naruto said as he clung to his father, wrapping his arms around his broad shoulders._

_ Minato pried his son off of him and stood up slowly. He looked at his wife, Kushina as she stood behind Naruto with tears in her eyes. Not a single tear fell though, she knew he had to leave. When Minato put his arms around her, she sighed softly and hugged him back tightly. Naruto was standing beside them, watching with sorrow filled eyes as Minato said his goodbyes. Kushina pulled back and cupped his face in her hands, kissing the handsome man passionately._

_ Minato's hands ran though Kushina's red hair and he pulled away. He looked down at Naruto and pulled him into the hug. Minato felt the sorrow in his heart and the sadness was growing with each passing moment. He couldn't stay much longer, he had to go before he couldn't find the strength to leave his precious family. As he pulled away from his family, he placed a kiss on Kushina's forehead and looked beyond her._

_ Standing in the threshold of the town's gates were Jiraiya and Tsunade. The man with the white mane of hair nodded to Minato, who smiled and nodded back. His blue eyes fell upon Tsunade, who merely lifted her hand to say farewell. Minato returned her gesture and looked back at Kushina and stared deeply into her eyes. He didn't have to speak for her to understand how much he loved her and their son and how badly he wished he could stay. She put a hand on the side of his face and nodded her head. He put his hand on top of hers and took in a sharp breath before kneeling back down in front of Naruto._

_ "Please don't go," Naruto begged and Kushina put her hand on Naruto's small shoulder._

_ "Listen to me, Naruto," Minato began as he took his son's small hands into his own, "I know this is hard, but life doesn't throw anything at you that you can't handle. It doesn't make sense right now, but believe me one day it will."_

_ "Dad-"_

_ "You are apart of something greater," Minato said firmly and Naruto stared into his father's eyes, nodding slowly. "One day, you'll help put the pieces of the puzzle back together. The madness will end and our world will be restored, you'll see." Minato let go of Naruto's hands and stood up._

_ "Be careful," Kushina whispered._

_ "Take care of your mother, Naruto, can you do that for me?" Minato asked as he looked down at his son._

_ "Yes, I can do that," Naruto replied with a nod._

_ "It's going to be okay," Minato smiled and ruffled his son's hair one more time before turning on his heels. He gripped the straps of his back back and looked straight ahead down the dusty road. "Be strong, Naruto." With those words, Minato began walking and Naruto watched with tears in his eyes._

_ "Dad! No, it's not okay! Don't leave us!" Naruto shouted and was about to run after his father, but Kushina grabbed him. She held him back and remained silent as she watched her husband shrink further and further down the road. "Dad! No! Dad! Come back, please!" Naruto begged as he tried to pull away from his mother, but she held him tight against her._

_ Each shout that Naruto made for Minato to come back was hard to ignore, but he continued moving. He had to leave there was no other option, it was the only way to protect them._

_ "Dad!" Naruto shouted loudly and Minato felt his heartbreak, but he never stopped._

* * *

He let out a heavy breath as he sat in his room. It was a shabby hotel room that was dimly lighted by candles and a small sliver of white light breaking through the dusty window. He had covered it with heavy drapery as a way to keep out the summer heat. In his had he held a square shaped glass filled with a dark liquid. Lifting it up, he examined the liquid and brought it towards his lips. As he threw back the last bit of his whiskey, he let out a breath and closed his eyes. The liquid was like fire down his throat, but it made him relaxed.

He sank further back into his lumpy couch and propped his feet up onto the coffee table. It creaked under the weight, sounding as though it was going to snap in two. Closing his tired eyes, Kakashi Hatake let out a yawn and began to drift off. His mind started to wander as he sat there in the dim glow of the candles. A lot had happened in the past fourteen years since the world stopped. Life started changing, there was no electricity, time blurred together, and everything reverted into primeval ways.

He was twenty-six years old when everything changed. Plants, animals, and people had adapted to the harsher conditions of the world. He survived several floods, a couple of hurricanes, an earthquake, and many other wraths of mother nature's fury. In fourteen years he witnessed the darkness within peoples hearts. When people began to turn on each other, he knew it was time for a change. Of course, that was thirteen years ago and now he was a simple man in a ratty city that bar tended to travelers. He was trying to keep a low profile, he had to in order to survive.

Opening up his eyes, Kakashi's dark eyes stared at the sliver of light coming over his shoulder and pouring onto the dusty wooden floor. He sat up straight, taking his feet from the table and put the now empty glass down. Running his fingers through his silver hair, Kakashi groaned as he got up onto his feet. He stretched his arms over his head and flexed his lean muscles. Kakashi had experienced the darker side of being in a world with no true order, no medicine, and no electricity. His body was now hardened by years of countless days fighting for survival, his skin was burned by the powerful rays of sunlight with only a few lighter strips of skin that were old battle scars. Shaking his head, Kakashi grabbed his black shirt off of the back of the couch and slipped it on. He went over to the window and peeked through the drapes, staring down at the bustling streets.

His eyes fell upon three men across the street, sitting on some old wooden barrels. They were dressed in the Fire Region's military uniform. He stared for what seemed like hours before he finally turned away. The drapes fell closed and he wandered over to the door. Placing his hand on the knob, Kakashi twisted it and pushed the door open. As he walked out into the hallway, which was brightly lighted down to the skylight windows over head, Kakashi shaded his eyes for a few moments. Pulling the door closed, Kakashi started on down the hallway and glanced around at the people scattered about the hallway. They came in all shapes and sizes, different ages, some were brutish thugs, some were beggars, and a few were merchants just passing through.

When he reached the end of the hallway, Kakashi stood at the balcony edge. He looked down into the large atrium below where a make-shift bar had been set up. Leaning on the stone railing, Kakashi stared down at the people that were sitting around the bar and chatting about the room, lounging on the couches and wooden crates, and playing pool at the single pool table in the far back right corner of the room. There was a light clamor in the room from people talking and arguing amongst themselves. The loudness made him want to go back to his room, but he needed to get some food in his system before he passed out.

"The Fire Region's military has extended even here," someone said from behind him. Kakashi licked his lips and stood up straight before he turned to face the speaker. "It won't be long before they set-up a camp here and that will be trouble." The speaker was a made roughly thirty something with short cut brown hair, a clean shaved face, and dark round eyes. Kakashi knew the man quite well they had been traveling together for roughly three years.

"Buzz off, Yamato, I'm not in the mood," Kakashi grumbled as he started walking to the stairs. All he wanted was some food maybe a cup of coffee and then he'd go hide away in his room until his headache went away.

"Got carried away again, you're drunk," Yamato commented as he walked alongside of Kakashi.

"I'm hungover, there's a big difference," Kakashi corrected with a snort. "I just need to eat and sleep it off."

"What about the soldiers?" Yamato asked as they started going down the huge marble staircase that was lighted by wooden fire torches and natural light pouring in from the domed skylight overhead. "You know they're looking for you."

"Then let them look," Kakashi retorted as he walked over to the bar.

"That's not food," Yamato commented when Kakashi grabbed a bottle of rum. The silver haired man looked at Yamato and sighed heavily. "They're practically outside your door."

"None of them know me, they're newbies. Rotten kids that think their the shit," Kakashi grumbled as he kneeled down behind the counter, digging around in the shelves. He reached for a bag that contained some jerky and ripped off a piece before putting it into his mouth. "Relax, Yamato, we're fine." Kakashi put the bottle of rum back and walked around the counter, heading for the stairs again.

"So you aren't going to do anything?" Yamato asked as he followed Kakashi and stopped at the foot of the stairs. The older gentlemen stopped and sighed gently before looking back at Yamato. He knew it was just friendly concern, but it was very irritating to him. "Is it worth the risk?"

"Yeah, Yamato it is," Kakashi replied as he stood on the fourth step. "I sure as hell can't run every time they get close." He started walking up the stairs again and glanced over his shoulder. Yamato had vanished, getting lost in the crowd of people standing by the stairs. Shaking his head, Kakashi continued on his way up the stairs wanting nothing more than to chew on his jerky and sleep.

* * *

_"It's dying okay, that's why all of this is happening," Minato said as he stood in the middle of a well furnished room. It had been a while since he'd been in such a luxurious place and he almost felt as though the old world was back, but it really wasn't. There were still torches and the winds were open allowing a pleasant breeze to penetrate the room like the air conditioning once did._

_ "How do we fix it then?" Obito inquired as he sat behind a large wooden desk._

_ "I' m not sure," Minato lied._

* * *

**Author's Note: **Thank you to those who have commented and favorited up to this point. So what did you guys think of Kakashi's appearance and Minato's? Please leave your feedback, it always helps me out. I apologize for any grammar mistakes, until next time everyone, take care!


	4. Chapter 4

**FOUR**

They were half way to Konoha. In another three days, they would finally be at ruined city that was once the greatest location in all of the Fire Region, but then the power went out and everything changed. The natural disasters tore the great city of Konoha apart, leaving only a handful of buildings and a few residential homes. Most of the city was now left in ruin and rot with nothing spectacular about it. Many people stopped there on their way to the boarder for supplies or a safe place to rest. Of course, Konoha wasn't exactly the safest place to rest; bandits that haunted the boarder frequently visited the few bars that were in Konoha. It was a dangerous place when the sun was down.

Naruto was staring into the small fire they had made. He had hardly spoken since their journey to Konoha began, he was sullen and hurt. While Naruto always wanted to leave that small shanty town that had nothing to offer, he never wanted to leave it the way he did. Jiraiya wasn't supposed to die, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tsunade were not supposed to lose their homes, and the military was most certainly not supposed to be involved. For eight months, Naruto prepared to leave, he saved up a lot of money, trained, and studied all the various roadmaps of the Fire Region and the surrounding settlements.

The Fire Region was run and operated by the powerful military force that named it's stretch of power the Sharingan Federation. They controlled everything in the Fire Region through the smaller garrisons that taxed the citizens of villages and small towns. Their headquarters was located two hundred miles from the eastern boarder. Konoha was in the same direction, but further south. There was roughly a ten day journey between the two locations.

Naruto was surprised they didn't see the military force that attacked the village, but they also weren't using the main roads to travel around. They cut through forest and backroads as a way to keep safe. By this point though, the soldiers platoon had probably started heading more north while they were heading south. Running his fingers through his hair, Naruto stifled a yawn and glanced over at Sakura. She was sleeping soundly across from him it was the first time she had looked peaceful since they left four days ago.

He couldn't help but wonder why it all happened like this. This wasn't what he planned, he wanted to go alone and find out what happened to his mother, he wanted to know what his father was talking about all those years ago. Closing his eyes, Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed softly. This was a major setback, he should be heading for the Sharingan Federation's base not going to Konoha to find some random person named Kakashi Hatake. He wondered why they were looking for that man in particular.

Not once had Naruto ever heard of him, but then again he hadn't heard of a lot of people. Living in a small town tended to do that to people, beyond the walls Naruto didn't know much at all. He had skills in hunting and had basic fighting skills and knew how to use a bow, but aside from that Naruto knew very little. There was a good chance they would all end up dead, but he didn't want to think about that. His goal hadn't changed; he would get to his mother.

Tsunade still hadn't said anything about why they had to go to Konoha, why they needed to find this Kakashi person. Maybe it was just another place to live and hide, but Naruto couldn't do that. His mother was with the people who had killed Jiraiya, he had to save her. Grabbing a tree branch from the small pile beside him, Naruto tossed it into the flames. It popped and cackled as it burned up the branch.

The smell of smoke reached his nose as a light breeze blew through the trees. A few leaves swirled about and Naruto looked up at the sky. The moonlight faded away as thin gray clouds started coating the air. He had a feeling that they would be seeing rain fairly soon.

One of the horse's nickered and Naruto looked over to them. His dusty brown horse's ears were perked and his eyes were wide as he stared towards the dark forest. Grabbing his crossbow, Naruto loaded it with an arrow and got to his feet. His horse let out a snort and kicked at the ground. Walking over to the horse, Naruto shushed him and patted his neck.

His blue eyes scanned the area before him, searching for anything out of the ordinary. Nothing was sticking out, so Naruto relaxed and lowered his crossbow. He rested it on his shoulder and turned on his heels to his horse, stroking his face. The horse nickered and Naruto smiled, assuring him that everything was fine. Sighing, Naruto looked back over to the small camp area that was glowing orange from the fire.

He started to walk towards the camp again, but heard the rustle of a tree branch. Just as he stopped and was about to turn around, he felt someone standing right behind him.

"Don't move." Naruto felt a blade pressed up against his back, the sharp tip piercing through the fabric of his t-shirt. "Drop the crossbow."

Complying, Naruto held his crossbow out to the side and let it drop to the ground. The sound caused Sasuke to stir and just as he sat up another person appeared in the blink of an eye. Sasuke was about to fight, but he froze when a blade was around his neck and he saw Naruto was caught as well. The blond stared at Sasuke and shook his head slowly, which caused the Uchiha to nod stiffly. They both glanced over to Sakura and Tsunade, who were still asleep.

"You're on our territory," the man behind Naruto spoke gruffly. "And there's a toll for coming onto it."

"Take whatever money or food you want and leave us be," Naruto stated, but the man only chuckled before he kicked the back of Naruto's leg. The blond grunted as he fell onto his knees and felt the blade laying on his shoulder and pressing on his neck. In one swift swing he could easily decapitate Naruto.

"We want them," the man spoke and tilted his sword tip towards Sakura and Tsunade. Naruto's blue eyes widened and he glanced over at Sasuke, who was staring right back at him. The man behind Sasuke was wearing a mask, so that his face was hidden.

"Who are you people?" Naruto asked in a harsh whisper.

"The Red Iron," the man replied simply.

Sasuke looked at the man behind Naruto when he said those dreadful words. Itachi had told Sasuke about a group of thugs that ran rampant in the south. They were ruthless, merciless, and diabolical. There were many horror stories about the group throughout all of the Fire Region, but the group's main haunt were in the southern reaches. They were known for wearing black mask with three red slashes going across them and they were notorious for raiding trading post of supplies. Lately though they have been taking people captive and selling them into slavery. Sasuke and Naruto were both certain that's what they planned to do with Sakura and Tsunade.

"What's going on?" Sakura yawned as she sat up. Her eyes widened in shock when she looked across the way to see Sasuke with a blade to his neck and Naruto straight ahead of her on his knees. The pinkette was about to get up and run, but a powerful fist struck her jaw.

"Don't!" Naruto growled about to get up, but the man behind him gripped his shoulder tightly and held him in place.

Tsunade had woken up to all the commotion, but when she got up she was pushed back down by strong arms. She gasped and looked up to see a man on top of her, holding a knife at her throat. Her amber eyes stared at the black mask and she gritted her teeth. Glancing to her side, she spotted Naruto and Sasuke were both being held back too.

"Look, I know what you want. Check my bag, side pocket," Tsunade said, nodding towards her bag just arms length away from her. The man on top of her backed off a bit and grabbed her bag. He opened up the side pocket and pulled out a silver flask. Laughing lightly, the man lifted up his mask and opened up the flask, taking a nice long swig before tossing it over to the man pinning Sasuke.

"Stop it! No! Let me go!" Sakura screamed as the man started dragging her away from the camp site.

"Get your hands off of her!" Sasuke shouted about ready to charge, but the man with the blade across his neck pushed it closer to the skin. He felt the blade slicing his skin slightly and stiffened.

Naruto was forced to watch the man drag Sakura over to a tree and push her up against it. He started shaking in anger as the man groped Sakura's body. She struggled to break free, but when she tried the man punched her face. He heard the sickening snap and completely lost it, seeing red. Whipping around before the man behind him had a chance to think, Naruto knocked the blade from his hand and stuck his leg out. Sweeping his leg around, Naruto knocked the guy down and jumped on top of him. Gripping the man's head in his hands, he snapped his neck and the man's body went limp. Breathing hard, Naruto froze for a few moments. He couldn't believe that he had just killed a man.

The man over Tsunade suddenly began coughing and blood oozed from the corners of his mouth. He gagged as more blood started to come out of his mouth. The busty blonde saw this as her chance punched the man in the jaw. He fell over and collapsed on the ground, drowning in his own blood as it poured out his mouth.

"What the hell?" the man pinning Sasuke growled, tossing the flask aside. "What's in this bitch?" the man growled and soon after he began coughing uncontrollably. Sasuke elbowed the man in the gut and rolled away when the man fell onto the ground. He was on his hands and knees, coughing up lots of thick chunks of blood.

Naruto had grabbed his crossbow by this time and pulled the trigger. The man that was pinning Sakura to the tree instantly fell to the ground as the arrow pierced through the man's skull. The pinkette gasped and held her hands up as the man slumped onto the floor as blood dripped down the tip of the metal arrow. Trembling where she stood, Sakura turned to look at Naruto. He stood across the way and slowly lowered his crossbow. The pinkette was near the verge of crying, but she kept it together.

"Hey it's okay," Sasuke said as he walked over to Sakura. She looked at him and nodded her head slowly. He put his arms around her and pulled her into a hug. She wrapped her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. After a few seconds, she pulled away from him and thanked him. He nodded his head and looked over to Tsunade who held her hand up to signal she was fine.

"Naruto," Sakura said his name in a hoarse voice. He looked at her and she smiled at him, promising him that everything was okay.

* * *

Itachi looked around the campsite. They were still another week outside of the Fire Region's military base and he wasn't looking forward to the last stretch. The soldiers thought they were so tough, treating him like a rag doll, putting his food just out of his reach, throwing him around like a sack of potatoes, and dropping his cup of water in front of him. One in particular though, really liked to mess with him. He was a young kid maybe twenty-years of age, freshly trained, and completely full of shit.

Said soldier was walking up now with a cocky grin on his face and his hand resting on the hilt of his katana. Narrowing his eyes, Itachi looked away from the soldier and rested his head against the barrel behind him. He was hobbled and handcuffed, completely defenseless against any of the soldiers. The man's shadow loomed over Itachi and he groaned softly, glancing up at the young boy Itachi waited for him to do something.

"Unfortunately, I can't kill ya," the young soldier said, kneeling down to Itachi's level. "Words already been sent we're bringing ya in, so you have to be alive."

Itachi stared at the man for a moment, the dark orange rays of the setting sun coming from around his head. "What's your point?" Itachi glared.

"My point is, I can't kill you," the young soldier explained and Itachi waited for him to say more. "So I'll do the next best thing." He was surly this young soldier, he probably wouldn't have half the backbone he had if Itachi wasn't restrained by ropes. Itachi could see the cowardice in his eyes and knew he was only acting smug. But he had seen a few of the older soldiers push him around. They treated him like the worm of the group, stomping on him whenever they pleased. It was obvious they were establishing his spot on the totem pole.

"You're a real piece of shit," Itachi reprimanded and the young soldier narrowed his eyes at Itachi. Clenching his fist and pulling it back, the soldier struck Itachi right in the jaw. The sickening pop and crack rang through the campsite. Everyone had stopped what they were doing to see what was happening. Itachi swished the blood in his mouth, the coopery taste heavy on his tongue as he spit it out. "Punching a man while he's tied, what a coward," Itachi chided with a snort.

"Why you little-"

"Soldier!" General Orochimaru's voice boomed from behind. The young soldier who was now gripping Itachi by the collar of his shirt froze. His eyes were burning with anger, but Itachi didn't even flinch, he wouldn't give him the satisfaction. "Unhand him, we're to bring him in unharmed." Orochimaru approached, his boots crushing the grass as he walked forth. He clapped the boy on the shoulder and ordered him to let go.

"Yes sir," the boy answered calmly as he released his hold on Itachi. The Uchiha glared at the boy as he straightened up and dusted himself off.

"Go get something to eat," Orochimaru told him, waving him away. Nodding, the young soldier took one more look at Itachi and wandered off to the wagon that stored the food. Shaking his head, Orochimaru clicked his tongue and looked down at Itachi. Blood was coming from the corner of his mouth and Orochimaru chuckled softly, kneeling down in front of Itachi. "Make no mistake Itachi, the only reason I am keeping you alive is because your the only thing keeping me on Obito's good side."

"Noted," Itachi muttered, spitting more blood from his mouth. "If I'm the one thing saving you then treat me better, otherwise just put an end to all this and kill me."

"Even tied up and being taken to our base you still act smug," Orochimaru said with a sneer. Itachi stared up at Orochimaru with his dark eyes if looks could kill Orochimaru would be six feet under already. "Get this man some food!" Orochimaru commanded and walked off, heading to the tent he had stationed across the way.

* * *

Obito Uchiha, the leader of the Fire Region's military, sat in his luxurious office and stared at the large dark oak wood double doors. They swung open a moment later and in walked a man with letter in his hand. As he walked up, Obito looked at him with his black inky eyes and held his hand out. The messenger placed the letter delicately into Obito's hand and stepped back, standing straight with his hands behind his back. As Obito opened up the letter he read the words that Orochimaru had written.

A smirk came onto Obito's face and he reached for a black metal lighter resting on his desk. Flicking the lid up, Obito turned on the lighter and burned the letter. When it became to burn up, he dropped it in the metal bin at the side of his desk. The messenger looked at Obito as he closed the lighter and placed it back on the desk. He waited patiently for his orders and Obito leaned forward on his desk, resting his elbows on it. Running his fingers through his short, spiky black hair, Obito stifled a laugh.

"Tell the guards to bring, Kushina Uzumaki in here," Obito commanded, and the messenger bowed before exiting the room to tell the guards what Obito wanted. When the doors closed, Obito got out of his leather chair and walked over to the large floor to ceiling arched window and looked out of it. His world was outside of that window, merciless and ruthless, keeping order in the Sharingan Federation.

He was the leader of the military that protected the Sharingan Federation from all the other federations and republics out there. It took him twelve years to establish such a powerful military force, but he had done it. Many lost their lives as they grew and expended, defending the boarders from outside militaries. Obito even lost a few good friends as he built the Sharingan Federation. Leaning against the window, Obito watched as his soldiers did their morning routines around the military base. No one ever had a day off, they were either training or patrolling.

Running a hand over his face, Obito's fingers stopped at the deep scars on the right side of his face. He closed his right eye and moved his finger over his eyelid and moved up to his brow. The scars were a result of war, he got caught in an explosion and it nearly killed him. While the scars were deep almost like wrinkles, he'd take them over being dead. Sighing softly, Obito Uchiha placed his hand on the glass of the window, feeling the summer heat burning through.

There was a knock at the door and Obito looked away from the training field. He put his hands behind his back and told the person to enter. As the doors came open, Obito smiled and walked forward as two guards led in a beautiful woman with long red hair. She was silent as they walked, the guards on either side of her, gripping her upper arms in case she tried to run. Of course, Kushina Uzumaki wouldn't run she had been in the base for a little over eight months now.

"It would seem Orochimaru has failed in securing your son," Obito spoke and Kushina stared at him as he came closer, stopping two steps away from her. "So I am going to need your cooperation," he explained to her, reaching for her face. He took her red hair and gently ran his fingers through closed her eyes when he pushed her hair behind her ear and stroked the side of her face.

"I already told you everything," Kushina said simply as her violet eyes metal his cold inky stare. Obito licked his chapped lips and shook his head, gripping her chin in his hand. She grunted as he yanked her forward.

"Kushina, Kushina, Kushina," Obito mused as he looked at her face admiring her flawless creamy skin and brilliant fiery red hair that cascaded down to her lower back. "Haven't I been more than kind to you? Provided you a bed, a roof over your head, clean water, and delicious food? Why do you insist on testing my patience? I must warn you it is wearing thin." He let her go and stepped away from her. Kushina did her best to remain calm and collected, but her patience for him was wearing very thin.

Wafer thin.

"You have been, Obito, but I already told you everything I know." Kushina crossed her arms over her chest and watched him as he took a seat at his desk. He rested his chin in the palm of his hand and sighed heavily, eyeing her suspiciously.

"You're lying," Obito hissed and Kushina narrowed her eyes at him. "Just tell me the truth, Kushina."

"How many times are we going to do this, Obito?" Kushina hissed she was starting to lose her temper. "It's been eight months, constant questioning and every time I give you the same answer. I cannot give you the answer to something that I do not know!" she growled at him and Obito smirked at her. The two guards grabbed her and pulled her back as she was about to go towards his desk.

"I refuse to believe that you know nothing when Minato, your husband, knew quite a bit," Obito replied as he leaned back in his seat, propping his arms up on the arm rest, he laced his fingers together. Kushina rolled her eyes and pulled out of the guards' hold.

"He knew three things," Kushina hissed.

"Yes and I happen to know that you know something as well, so tell me." Obito stared at her as she stood before him, her fist were clenched at her sides and her knuckles went ghost white.

"You're unbelievable," Kushina growled and Obito smirked at her.

"Kushina it would be wise for you to swallow that pride and tell me what you know, because when I find your son I will filet the meat from his bones and make you watch until you tell me every little detail," Obito stated vindictively and Kushina's eyes widened in horror and anger.

"Rot in hell you monster!" Kushina seethed as she tried to lunge at him, but the two guard grabbed her. They jerked her back and restrained her while Obito watched with an amused stare.

"You go back to that room, think this over a bit and we'll try again tomorrow," Obito said with a smile, gesturing for the guards to take her away. As they dragged her away, Kushina cursed at him just before the door shut. Taking in a deep breath, Obito slowly exhaled and shook his head. "You'll see things my way, Kushina, just you wait."

* * *

_Minato and Kushina were in the hospital room, waiting anxiously for what the doctor had to say. The redheaded woman was laying on the bed and staring at her husband as he nervously paced in front of the bed. She hated seeing him like this, but she hated not knowing what was going on even more. Tears came to her eyes and she felt them slide down her cheeks. Minato heard a sob escape the woman and she moved over to her. He sat at the edge of the bed and took her hand in his, squeezing it in a comforting manner._

_ "What if it doesn't work?" Kushina asked softly._

_ "Don't think that way," Minato replied as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. He gently stroked the top of her head and let out a breath. "Just think positively." He gave her a weak smile and she nodded her head in agreement._

_ Seconds later a knock came to the door and both of them turned to look as it came open. In came a man dressed in a white coat with a stethoscope hanging from around his neck and a clipboard in hands. He looked to the couple and smiled weakly as he came to the center of the room._

_ "He seems to be in the clear for now, but we still have to get through the night," the doctor explained and both Kushina and Minato felt some weight being lifted from their shoulders. "If all goes well, your son will live a happy life."_

* * *

**Author's Note: **Special thanks to **Duesal10 **for helping me edit this chapter. And thank you to everyone who has reviewed and favorited this story, I appreciate it!


	5. Chapter 5

**FIVE**

"This is Konoha?" Sasuke asked, unamused by the ramshackle buildings, crowded streets, and the polluted stench. He could see where old buildings had stood and fallen into massive piles of metal bars, concrete blocks, and wooden planks. It seemed as though people had made homes of the crumbled buildings though. Some buildings still stood the windows boarded or blocked by heavy quilts. Other buildings were missing walls and people could be seen on the upper levels looking down at the busy streets of the market.

The bazaar was noisy and littered with trash as people moved in every direction. They weaved through the many stands that sold food, clothes, and other materials. Wagons were being pulled by draft horses and oxen, chickens clucked loudly in their small wire cages, and dogs scoured the alleyways for something to eat.

"Yeah, this is Konoha," Tsunade said and clicked her tongue, causing her horse to move onward down the hillside. Sasuke watched her go and shook his head, they were never going to find this Kakashi person. This city was huge and they didn't even know what would happen if they asked around for him. "Hurry up, we have to find Kakashi!" Tsunade called when she was half-way down the hill.

Gently slapping the rein's on his horse's neck, Sasuke continued to stare at the city as his horse brought him closer. The gravel cracked under his metal shoes. High in the sky, the yellow sun beamed down on them, unleashing a vicious summer heat. Using the back of his hand, Sasuke wiped away the beads of sweat forming on his brow. Glancing behind him, his dark eyes fell upon Naruto and Sakura atop the brown horse.

"How are we ever going to find this guy? There has to be at least 5,000 people in this city," Sakura mumbled as she gazed at the crumbled city ruins that seemed almost like caves with all the debris piled about. She brushed her hair behind her ear and leaned back slightly in a slouch against Naruto. He remained firm and silent, gently prodding his horse with his heel. The brown horse nickered and started going down the hill after the other two.

As they continued down the hillside, Naruto looked at the city that laid mostly in ruin. He saw all the people crowding the market streets. This was the most people he had seen in a very long time. Swallowing, Naruto felt like he was being suffocated as they moved closer and closer. His blue eyes fell upon the city gates that were guarded by five armored guards. Naruto looked at their guards, based on their armor Naruto could see they were commissioned by the local garrison.

"We're looking for a place called 'Benbow'," Tsunade said to the guards. "Can you tell us where it is?"

"Follow the market street, when you get to the end take a right. You'll see it," the guard said, pointing down the road. Nodding her head, Tsunade thanked him and clicked her tongue. Her horse started walking on and the other two followed behind her.

"Is that where this Kakashi person is?" Sasuke questioned as he rode alongside Tsunade, his dark eyes scanning the busy streets. People were bartering and selling items all over the place. It was so crowded and cramped, completely filthy, and Sasuke just couldn't handle it. He turned up his nose at the trash littered streets and gagged at the putrid smell. "What is this place?"

"It's the slavers post between the Sharingan Federation and the Kaminari Republic," Tsunade answered.

"Slavers?" Sakura repeated, sounding almost afraid. "But that's illegal."

"People sell themselves into slavery in order to have a home and food, but sometimes slavery isn't any better than starving on the streets," Tsunade explained, glancing over her shoulder at Sakura. The pinkette stared at her mentor and nodded stiffly before looking at the streets. It didn't look like a slavers trading post, but since it was illegal they probably did most of their trading and selling of slaves in secret sanctions.

"So how are we supposed to find our guy?" Sasuke pressed as they reached the end of the market street and turned their horses to the right.

This street was much less crowded and was not as dirty as the market. The buildings and old shops lining the streets had their windows boarded up and some were still standing tall. Naruto looked at the old bricks of the buildings and saw that at the very top some people were sitting on the ledges with their feet dangling. He looked down some alleys and spotted stray animals picking in the garbage for food. It was hard to believe that the world had fallen into such a state. The Fire Region was one of the healthier regions and was well thanks to the Sharingan Federation.

They were a strong military force and packed a lot of power with well trained guards. When Naruto was sixteen he planned on joining them, but his mother always told him that they were merciless dogs that could careless about human life. She begged him to not join, so he didn't. After they took her though one of his first thoughts was to join so that he could save her, but he realized that plan would never work for him.

He pulled his horse to a stop when he realized that Sasuke and Tsunade had stopped their horses as well. Sakura let out a breath when they saw a large white building with large stone pillars holding up a roof. The pillars were wrapped with flowering vines and their were large metal fire pits in between each of the pillars, but they were not lighted. Naruto saw that the windows had been partially boarded up, but behind the boards was cracked glass. He looked at the large wooden doors that looked as though they would fall from their hinges if they were opened one more time.

"Welcome to the Benbow," Tsunade said as she dismounted from her horse. Holding onto the reins, she looked at the large white building and started walking towards it. By the stairway leading up to the large porch of the Benbow were several wooden railings made for people to tie up their horses. She tied her horse to the rail and looked back as the other three followed her. "Stay close, alright," she told them firmly and they all nodded.

After Sasuke and Naruto tied their horses to the post, they all looked up at the porch. A few people were scattered about, talking amongst themselves quietly. Some looked skinny and scrawny, others were filthy and grimy. As they started up the stairs, Sakura wedged herself between Sasuke and Naruto, she didn't trust people like these. Not that they could blame here considering the attack that happened the other night.

Naruto had his cross bow slung over his shoulder and Sasuke had his hand on the hilt of his katana. Tsunade didn't show any fear whatsoever, she remained calm and collected as the went to the door. Placing her hands on the worn out wood, Tsunade pushed the doors open and walked inside with the three youngsters right behind her.

"Do we just ask around?" Sakura questioned as she looked at the people scattered about the room lounging on wooden crates, once fine furnishing that were stained or torn, and the wooden bar stools.

Ruffians, thugs, slavers, they came in all shapes in sizes in places like this. Her green eyes ventured about the room that was surprising bright due to the huge domed skylight above them. Wooden torches had been pinned onto the marble pillars in the room, some were cracked and two had actually been broken to pieces. The floor creaked under their steps and glass clinked together, echoing in the large room. As Sakura looked at the large marble stair way that lead to the second and third floor, she realized then that it was once a hotel.

"Excuse me," Tsunade said as they arrived at the bar.

The man standing at the island that was littered with liquor bottles and three large beer kegs turned around. He had a white rag slung over his shoulder, which matched his hard that was disheveled and half his face was covered by a mask. His left eye had a jagged scar over it and he seemed rather aloof.

"I'm looking for someone," Tsunade explained and the man nodded slowly, running his fingers through his silvery-white hair. "Kakashi Hatake."

"He's dead," a man sitting two chairs over said simply, bringing a beer mug to his lip. Tsunade looked over at the man with brown hair and dark eyes. "Military killed him a few months ago."

The bartender stared at the man speaking and turned his gaze back to the blonde woman. She looked utterly defeated hearing those words and he tilted his head. There was something familiar about her, but he wasn't sure what it was. Letting out a heavy breath, the woman cursed and shook her head. The bartender quirked a brow and against his better judgement asked, "what business did you have with him?"

"We need his help," a young boy with blond spiky hair and daring blue eyes spoke out as he walked forth. The bartender looked him up and down and nodded his head slowly. "Is he really dead?" he inquired with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Yeah, he's dead," the bartender replied. "What could you possibly have needed his help with?"

"My brother told us to come find him," Sasuke spoke, his dark eyes burning into the bartender's.

"Kakashi Hatake was a reckless drunk, he couldn't have helped you out at all," the man sitting at the edge of the bar said, looking into his half-empty beer mug. He gripped it and swirled the liquid around inside a few times before bringing it to his lips. The bartender was staring at the man at the end of the bar and shook his head, turning on his heels to continuing cleaning the glasses.

"I'm curious," the bartender began, his back still to them as he inspected a glass, "why did you need his help?"

The man at the other end of the bar narrowed his eyes and slightly shook his head as if to say 'keep your damn mouth shut'. Naruto picked up on this and figured they were hiding something.

"I can't tell you," Tsunade stated firmly and the bartender turned around to look at her, drying the glass with a rag.

"So what will you do now that you know he's dead?" the bartender inquired.

"I don't believe he's dead," Tsunade replied simply and the bartender raised a brow at her. "I didn't know him for very long, but I know for a fact he wasn't stupid enough to be shot down by the military."

"Oh yeah he was," the man at the end of the bar chortled and the bartender scoffed. "He had plenty of time to run, but he chose not too and now he's dead in a ditch."

"Who are you?" Sakura asked suddenly, causing everyone in the conversation to look at her. The pinkette noticed they were all staring at her in both bewilderment and amusement. She took a step forward and looked at the man at the end of the bar. "How can you talk so lightly about someone who died? Even if they were a reckless drunk?" Sakura questioned harshly.

"Live in this city long enough and you'll understand," the man told her and Sakura narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't want to live in this city," Sakura hissed at him and the man chuckled lightly, taking another swig of his beer. "Lady Tsunade, we should leave."

"Tsunade?" the bartender repeated.

"Don't," the man at the other end of the bar snapped at the bartender.

"Easy now, Yamato," the bartender chided with a wave of his hand. "Any friend of Minato's is not a threat to us." He reached for his mask and gently pulled it down revealing a narrow jawline that was strong and well defined.

"How do you know my father?" Naruto growled suddenly.

"Calm down kid," the bartender said with a smirk. "I'm Kakashi Hatake."

* * *

Kushina Uzumaki sat quietly in her room. She was well taken care of in the headquarters of the Fire Region's military base. Obito saw to it that she was given the utmost care, but she knew her time with that treatment was slowly dwindling away like a candle melting into a puddle of wax. She sighed softly and looked out of the window she was sitting near. The skies were heavy with dark gray clouds and she could smell the rain coming in. The winds were howling and she closed her eyes, listening to the sharp sound.

Just as the wind stopped howling the door to her room came open. Kushina opened up her eyes slowly and stared blankly at the other side of the wall to the window bench she was on. The wooden floor boards creaked as the person made their way across the room and the door shut quietly. Licking her lips, Kushina turned to see who was coming her way. Her violet eyes glimmered at the figure standing before her and she stifled a laugh.

"Of all the people to send," Kushina mused as she stared at the person standing across from her. "Hello, Hiruzen." She smiled weakly at him and swung her legs down from the bench. Her bare feet touched smooth wooden floor and she stood up, looking at the old man.

"Kushina, you have to tell them," Hiruzen Sarutobi demanded of her and she looked at him sadly. "This is all over." He shook his head, his wrinkled face looking even older than before. There were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep, his lips were chapped, and his hair was thinner and grayer than she remembered.

"I have nothing to tell them, Hiruzen," Kushina answered with a weak smile and tilted her head accordingly, causing her red hair to fall from behind her shoulders. The older gentlemen looked at her with disappointment and shook his head. "I'm sorry," she whispered and flattened out the soft fabric of the ivory dress she was wearing.

"Why aren't you telling them?" Hiruzen asked her and she closed her eyes, letting her head fall between her narrow shoulders. "Is it really that important? Is it worth everything you love?" he inquired, his voice a little louder than before.

She glanced at him, but remained silent as she crossed the room to the silver pitcher of water and the two glasses beside it. Lifting the pitcher, Kushina poured herself some water and brought it to her lips.

"They'll kill everyone you love, Kushina, you have to tell them," Hiruzen said, nearly begging for her to do so. She put the cup down on the table and turned around to look at the old man. His body frail from the harsh fourteen years they had endured. "It's only a matter of time before they figure it out."

"They aren't smart enough," Kushina interjected and Hiruzen frowned. He could still see that glimmer of hope in her eyes, once he used to have the same glimmer. It was gone now after he watched his wife die of tetanus. She was so sick that she couldn't even open her mouth, he had to watch her die of thirst and hunger. That pain never left him and haunted him every time he tried to sleep, he would see her lying in her cot.

"Don't doubt them, Kushina, it would not be wise on your part," Hiruzen said to her firmly, his eyes burning into hers.

"What have you told them, Hiruzen?" she questioned, brushing her hair behind her ear. Putting her hands down on the table, she leaned back on it and stared at him, waiting for an answer.

"I told them where to find, Naruto." He seemed ashamed of himself and Kushina pressed her lips together in a tight line. "They threatened my grandson, he's all I have left and I can't lose him."

"I understand," Kushina replied truthfully with a single nod. "I would have done the same to protect my own." She smiled weakly, but as quickly as it came it faded away.

"I didn't tell them about him though," Hiruzen explained and Kushina stared at him, blinking a few times. "Nor did I tell them about the others."

"Hiruzen," Kushina breathed as she stared at the old man.

"It'll only be a matter of time, Kushina, they will figure it out," he told her, but she shook her head. She refused to believe that the Sharingan Federation or any of the other nations would figure it out. "I don't know as much as you and Minato did, but I know enough."

"Then why haven't you told them? You know more than you have let on," Kushina replied simply with a shrug.

"Maybe I still have faith," Hiruzen said with a weak smile.

"Faith? In what?" she inquired with a raised brow and stifled a laugh. "It's dying, Hiruzen, that's why all of this happened." Kushina gestured out the window to the military camp that surrounded them. Hiruzen stared at her for a few moment and put his hands behind his back.

"There's a way to fix it," he stated and Kushina shook her head.

"No, there isn't."

"You know that's a lie," Hiruzen muttered and the redheaded woman narrowed her eyes at him.

"Stop," Kushina growled.

"It's a risk, but maybe that risk is one worth taking." Hiruzen stared at Kushina and she stared back at him. The silence between them was eerie, but Hiruzen broke it, "I hope you realize they will get it out of you one way or the other, Kushina." With those words, the old man turned on his heels and quietly walked out of the room.

The moment the door shut, Kushina let out a heavy breath. Hiruzen was right eventually they would get it out of her, they were already getting closer to Naruto. Once they had him they would bring him here and torture him until she told them the truth about the Life Stream, the entity that kept the world alive. A magical source that she and her husband used to study, it was of ethereal material that existed in every living thing. It was connected to all life and when it started to die, the world began to change.

_"Nature and life are in a balance, you can not play God. It will always find a way to balance that which should not happen," Hashirama Senju stated firmly._

His words echoed in her mind over and over. She ran her fingers through her hair and shook her head. No matter what the cost was, Kushina couldn't let them tamper with the Life Stream any further, sometimes the risks just outweigh the rewards. If one thing went wrong the world could forever be destroyed and all life with it.

* * *

Itachi looked around the sleeping camp and studied the patterns of the patrols. He had been tampering with the bolts of the metal railing and was just minutes from being able to break free. Orochimaru had underestimated him, Itachi had not been picking daisies while living out in that shanty town. He had been training and preparing himself for something like this. Itachi had even trained his little brother how to fight with a katana, shoot a bow, track, and most importantly escape. Above everything else, Itachi always believed that being able to run and hide was one of the best tools anyone could have at their disposal.

Looking back at the final bolt that Itachi had to undo, he began unscrewing it with his fingers. It was harder than it looked and his fingers slipped several times. Doing his best to keep his cool, Itachi let out a steady breath and continued twisting the bolt. Finally it was loosening after several tries. Using his other hand, he tried to steady the bar, hoping to keep the noise level to a nonexistent level. If any of the guards heard him trying to escape it would be game over.

Just a few more twists and the bolt was finally undone. The bar felt a bit heavier without the support, but Itachi managed to hold onto it, despite his exhausted muscles. Licking his lips, Itachi could taste his salty sweat and pulled the bar back slowly.

_Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!_

Itachi froze when he heard the sound of graveling being crushed under someone's boots. He pretended to be asleep and waited until the person on guard was gone. It was silent for a few moments, but Itachi was positive the man was standing diagonal from him. He was probably scanning the area, making sure nothing was out of place.

_Crunch! Crunch! Crunch! Crunch!_

Unfortunately, Itachi was aware that the guard had come closer and was just a few steps away. In the dim light of the kerosene lantern, the guard would probably be able to see that the bar had been moved. Swallowing hard, Itachi hoped for the best as the guard stood just a few feet away. The choice had to be made, take the guard out and hope no one else would hear or see, or he would have to stay still and pray the guard wouldn't notice.

"Hey-"

Itachi moved swiftly, swinging the metal pipe as hard as he could. The guard was struck on the side of his head and fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Letting out a shaky breath, Itachi looked down at the guard and jumped out of the wagon. He laid the pipe down on the ground quietly and went over to the guard, stealing his sword from its sheath.

"Should have kept going," Itachi whispered to him as he saw the blood coming from the laceration located on his temple. Apologizing, the Uchiha moved swiftly and quietly across the field, making his way to the forest. He wouldn't leave them though, one by one he would pick them off. Going to Sasuke and his friend's was out of the question, they would track him down the moment they realized he was gone. He just had to stay two steps ahead of them.

Orochimaru would never return to the base without him. Going back without Itachi or Naruto would be a death sentence. Especially after having sent word to Obito that they captured him. They were still five days out, being late upon return would be bad enough and that's just what Itachi was counting on. He knew full well that even the smallest flea could drive the big dog crazy.

"You were right, Orochimaru. This is going to be one hell of a family reunion," Itachi whispered as he turned around to look at the camp. It wouldn't take long for them to realize he was gone, whenever one of the other patrols noticed the dead man in their camp, they would come looking. Itachi would be ready though, for the past twelve years he had trained himself. While he wasn't as great as some, he knew he could take down Orochimaru's platoon.

* * *

**Author's Note: **Special thanks to **Duesal10 **for helping me edit this chapter. What are you all thinking of this story so far? Hopefully it's enjoyable, until next time!


	6. Chapter 6

**SIX**

Kakashi had taken the weary travelers to an empty room where they could talk in private. Yamato was still being a grouch and was leaning up against the only doorway. His arms were crossed over his chest and his legs were crossed one over the other. Kakashi glanced at his friend and shook his head. The world had been hard on Yamato, and now he didn't trust anyone at all. Sometimes Kakashi was surprised that Yamato had trusted him, but he proved to be very loyal. There were very few people left in the world that Kakashi would trust with his life, Yamato was one of them. Kakashi gave him a hard time every now and then, but deep down Kakashi really did enjoy Yamato's company and friendship.

"You're Kakashi?" Sasuke asked.

"Underwhelmed?" Kakashi inquired with a snort as he brought a glass of Scotch to his lips, letting the liquid poured into his mouth and down his throat. He let out a hiss and put the glass down on the wooden table beside the leather couch he was seated on. "Sorry, kid." He shrugged his shoulders and stared at the boy.

Sasuke was rugged looking, Kakashi could tell that he had been through a lot of shit in his life. His eyes were cold and dark much like his own. Kakashi looked at the katana on his back and looked over his shoulders and lean build. The young man wore baggy beige pants that were tucked into his boots that were secured by leather belts. His shirt was tight fitting and a dark navy blue in color, but what caught Kakashi's attention was the dog tags around his neck.

"I just wasn't expecting my brother to send me and my friends to a drunk for help," Sasuke answered with a shrug. Kakashi raised a brow at him while Yamato chuckled from across the room. "What good are you to us anyways?" Sasuke questioned and Kakashi licked his lips, shaking his head.

"Sasuke," Tsunade scolded and he looked at her. She gestured for him to sit down and keep his mouth shut. Huffing, Sasuke did as he was told and took a seat on the wooden stool across from Kakashi. "Look, we need your help Kakashi."

"What do you expect me to do?" Kakashi asked her. He actually knew that was a stupid question, but he felt entitled to ask it anyways. Tsunade stared at him with that 'are you kidding me' sort of stare. The silver haired man sighed and shook his head. He had come to Konoha to lay low not get involved with the Sharingan Federation. "I can't help you, sorry."

"We've come all this way," he paused, his eyes narrowed, "you can do something for us," Naruto growled and Kakashi looked at the blond man. He wasn't like Sasuke, he was lean and tough, but his eyes weren't as cold and dark. There was still a light with Naruto's blue eyes and Kakashi could see that this kid would change things. He wasn't entirely sure how, but he could see that passion and determination in his eyes.

"What's your name kid?" Kakashi asked.

"Naruto Uzumaki."

Kakashi tilted his head slightly and smiled. He had grown up and looked just like his father, those blue eyes and that yellow-blond hair. Naruto was a xerox copy of his father. It had been a long time since Kakashi had seen Minato, years since he had to be certain. That look in Naruto's eyes was the same look Minato had when Kakashi had last seen him.

"Kakashi, I know you know," Tsunade said simply, interrupting Kakashi's thoughts of Minato. "You have to help us, make it right." Her amber eyes were burning into him as she stood in the middle of the room with her arms crossed over her chest. Kakashi placed his feet up on the coffee table and got comfortable in his seat.

"I don't know that," Kakashi grumbled with a shake of his head. Tsunade glared at him and shook her head in disbelief. "What do you want me to do for you, Tsunade? Honestly!" he snapped at her, narrowing his eyes viciously at her. Kakashi wasn't stupid, he may have not seen Tsunade in about twelve years, but he knew exactly why she had come to him. Time had been kind to her, she had a few more wrinkles and her skin was a little darker than he remembered, but all things considered she looked good for a fifty-something-year-old woman.

"You _know_ what," Tsunade replied coolly and Kakashi scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. Like hell he was going to uproot his life to help protect the kid, he had finally successfully got the military off his back. Getting involved with Tsunade and her kids would only put him back on the militaries radar. "They'll come here before long, Kakashi."

"Well let them come, I'm tired of running with a target on my back," Kakashi stated firmly and Tsunade rolled her eyes; there was just no arguing with him at all. "You can rest here for the next few days, but I'm not helping you." He got up from her chair and walked to the door. Yamato moved aside and Kakashi opened the door.

"You really have given up, haven't you?" Tsunade asked.

"If that helps you," Kakashi replied easily and walked out of the room with Yamato following right behind him. When the doors closed, he held his hand up to keep Yamato silent. He was not in the mood to hear it, he just wanted to get back to tending to the people at the bar.

Tsunade watched the door closed and shook her head. This was not how she was planning on dealing with things at all. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she didn't think he would completely reject the idea. He owed Minato, he owed it to the Fire Region, and not to mention Naruto was apart of getting the power back on, setting the world straight again. As she sat down on the old and worn couch, Tsunade ran her fingers through her hair. Sakura, who was sitting beside her, put a hand on Tsunade's back and patted it in a comforting manner.

"We'll be okay without him, Lady Tsunade," Sakura said gently, but the blonde woman looked at her apprentice with an unsure glint in her eyes. "Sasuke was right, he's just a drunk."

Tsunade wanted to tell all three of them not to underestimate the man. He may have fallen from grace and seemed like a pathetic drunk, but he was good at what he did. Kakashi knew the ins and outs of the entire Fire Region, he was quick on his feet and he knew his way around weapons and combat. She didn't recognize him at first because he looked more worn down, but when he pulled down his mask she saw the younger Kakashi she remembered from twelve years ago.

"Are we staying here?" Naruto asked.

"For or a day or two, until I can either convince Kakashi to help or until I figure out what we should do," Tsunade explained, looking at the boy. He stared at her for a few moments before getting up from the wooden chair he had been seated in. The three watched him walk to the door and he quietly slipped out. "Sasuke, go with him," Tsunade commanded and the Uchiha looked at her before nodding.

When Sasuke was out of the room, Tsunade rested her elbows on her knees and let out a frustrated sigh. Sakura looked at her mentor with concern and wondered if this Kakashi person was really that necessary. She had never heard of him before, but then again she had been basically living under a rock for the past fourteen years. There was no news crews or phones or internet to get information at the press of a button, everything was now passed through word of mouth.

"Unfortunately, we will need his help, Sakura. Otherwise we won't last very long," Tsunade informed her apprentice as she sank back into the faded blue colored couch.

"Who is this guy anyways?" Sakura inquired, wanting to know how a drunk would be able to help them at all. He seemed more interested in drinking more booze than listening to what they had to say anyways.

"Our only chance for survival," Tsunade replied, and Sakura furrowed her brows. "I'm going to get some supplies." She stood up and left before Sakura ever had a chance to ask or say anything more about the manner.

When the door closed, Sakura groaned and laid back on the couch. She laid one arm over her eyes and shook her head. A week ago everything in her life seemed so simple and now everything was changing. She didn't even really understand what was going on since Tsunade hadn't really explained much at all. Moving her arm from her face, Sakura laid it on her stomach and stared up at the ceiling. It was dusty and dark and it had spider cracks in some areas, probably from the earthquakes and harsh weather.

She wasn't sure how much more she could handle before exploding. They all deserved some answers for why their home had been attacked. Why they had to leave? Why they needed this Kakashi person's help? Sakura sat up and let out a breath, raking her fingers through her pink hair. Looking around the room, Sakura decided to go find Naruto and Sasuke and ask them what they thought about everything that had happened.

* * *

Itachi stood on a high tree branch and watched as Orochimaru and his men searched the forest for him. He licked his lips and crouched on the branch, resting his elbows on his knees. His dark eyes watched them moving about the brush like fleas. Slowly and quietly, Itachi reached for the sword that was resting on his back. He grasped the hilt and let out a steady breath, he had to pick them off one by one. If he jumped too many of them at once he would surely be captured again.

His moves had to be swift and precise. Itachi hadn't been out to these parts of the forest in a long time, but he spent most of the night studying the area. His eyes landed on the youngest member in the squad, the boy who had punched him when he was tied to the wagon. Part of him took pity on the boy, but the other part of him could care less. Unsheathing his sword, Itachi looked to the next branch below him and jumped down. He landed with cat-like moves and pressed himself against the trunk of the tree. His eyes moved from one side of the branch to the other as the young soldier crossed below him.

Twirling the sword in his hand, Itachi jumped down right behind the young soldier. As soon as he turned, Itachi pierced through his heart and swiftly pulled the blade out. The soldier stood for a few seconds before his body slumped to the ground. Itachi stared at the boy and for some reason could only see Sasuke when he looked at him. The life faded from his eyes very quickly and the blood from his wound began pooling on the ground. Lifting the blade, Itachi looked at the red gooey liquid as it slowly dripped and fell onto the boy's face. Apologizing to the boy, Itachi walked on to find his next target.

Going behind a large boulder, Itachi pressed his back against the rough surface and crouched low to the ground. He gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of soft footfalls. When he opened his eyes, Itachi he held his sword up and swung to the left, stabbing the blade down into the soldier's foot and through his boot.

"GAH!" the soldier cried out in pain.

Standing up quickly, Itachi gripped the man's head between his hands and snapped his neck. The body fell to the ground and Itachi plucked the sword from the man's foot. When he turned around an arrow whizzed past his cheek and sliced his skin. It stung and he felt the blood beginning to ooze out. His eyes narrowed as he watched the man across from him reload his crossbow, ready to take another shot. Itachi shook his head and moved back around the boulder, waiting for the soldier to make his move.

THUD!

Itachi smirked; these soldiers weren't very skilled at all. They were loud and clumsy, and they had to have all been new to the regiment. Not once had Itachi been able to kill three in a row so easily, normally it took a lot more time. Quietly stepping around the boulder, Itachi climbed onto it. When he stood on top, he looked down and saw the soldier come around looking for him. His crossbow was held at the ready. Holding his sword, Itachi jumped down behind the man and slashed him right across his back in one swift movement.

The man groaned in pain as he fell the the ground and blood began to soak through his military uniform. Itachi knelt down beside the man and grabbed him by his hair, lifting his head. He was unconscious and would more than likely be dead in a few hours. Dropping him face down into the dirt, Itachi sheathed his blade onto his back and grabbed the crossbow on the man's back. Examining the crossbow, Itachi nodded his head and loaded it with an arrow. Having a crossbow would make things a lot faster.

"I'm impressed, you took down four of my men," Orochimaru's serpentine like voice came from behind. Itachi sighed heavily and turned to look at Orochimaru clad in his fancy uniform.

"Only twenty-six more to go," Itachi said with a fake smile.

"You won't get away," Orochimaru assured Itachi and snapped his fingers. The Uchiha looked around and snickered as a dozen men surrounded him, all having their arrows trained on him. "Nice try though."

Itachi knew better than to even try to escape, so he dropped the crossbow and held his hands up. Smirking, Orochimaru commanded his man to put him in iron clamps and hook him up to one of the wagons where he would have to walk. Itachi didn't struggle as one of the men grabbed his wrist and pulled them down, putting the iron clamps around his wrist.

* * *

"What are you going to do?" Yamato asked. Kakashi was about ready to kick him out of his room. The silver haired man was lighting the candled in his room and shook the match to kill the flame. Yamato was looking at Kakashi expectantly with his arms crossed over his chest, wanting an answer.

The truth was, Kakashi didn't even know what he was going to do. He'd be thinking about it all day and still he didn't have an answer. He never expected to meet Minato's son. With Tsunade having brought the boy here, Kakashi could only assume that Obito was finally making his move. Whether or not Obito knew the truth remained to be seen, but Kakashi knew that Tsunade wouldn't have brought the boy here unless there was a threat.

A knock came to the door and Kakashi turned to look at it. Yamato uncrossed his arms and pulled the door open. He stepped aside and let the person into the room. Lifting his head, Kakashi smiled warmly when Sai, a local, had come forth. He was clad in black attire with a gray cloak draped over his lean muscled body. When Yamato and Kakashi first arrived into Konoha, Sai had brought them to the Benbow and got them a safe place to stay. Kakashi wasn't sure why Sai helped them, but he'd proven to be handy in a fight.

"Where have you been the past couple of weeks?" Kakashi asked as he began to pour himself a drink.

"I went to Central," Sai replied. Both, Kakashi and Yamato, gave him quizzical stares and he nodded his head.

"Why where you there?" Yamato asked curiously. Central was the heart of the Sharingan Federation and one of it's most lively cities. The land there was fertile and grew many crops, it was well protected by the military, and it was one of the most hi-tech cities out of all the regions.

"I had heard some rumors from the soldiers in town that they have found a way to restart the power and they were using it in Central," Sai explained. Kakashi and Yamato turned to look at each other for a moment before turning their questioning stares back at Sai. "I didn't find anything, they were only rumors." He shrugged his shoulders and his coal black eyes seemed to hold a little disappointment.

"You seem disappointed," Kakashi noted, bring his glass up to his lips.

"A little," Sai replied with a snicker. "It was a long way to go for nothing."

"Why would you go to begin with?" Yamato asked.

"I was hoping it would lead me to my brother," Sai answered truthfully and walked over to the couch. He took off his cloak and laid it on the back of the couch before he sat down. Putting his boot covered feet up onto the old coffee table, Sai got comfortable. It had been a long trek back and he was ready for a nice warm bath and some food.

"Your brother, huh?" Kakashi inquired, taking a seat on the arm of the couch that Sai was on.

"As foolish as it sounds, I don't believe he's dead," Sai said quietly.

"It's not foolish, until you see a body, it's not foolish," Kakashi told him truthfully. The reason he believed that so much himself was because he still believed Minato was alive as well as his friend Rin Nohara. Something deep in his gut told him those two were still alive.

"Kakashi," Yamato called from the window. When Kakashi looked over to him, Yamato waved him over. Putting his drink down on the table, Kakashi walked over and peered out of the window. Down below in the street, Kakashi spotted two members of the Red Iron. He narrowed his eyes and wondered what they were doing in the city.

The Red Iron were one of the biggest problems in the southern reaches of the Fire Region. They were ruthless dog's that sold to the highest bidder, whatever kept them alive, they did it. Normally they stayed out of Konoha, so to see them in the city had Kakashi on high alert. He'd crossed past with them on several occasions, none of them ever being pleasant meetings.

"Why would they be here?" Yamato wondered aloud, not really expecting an answer.

"Did you cross paths with the Red Iron, Sai?" Kakashi inquired, still watching out the window as the two men came towards the Benbow.

"No, but I did hear four of their men had been killed off by some kid," Sai informed.


	7. Chapter 7

**SEVEN**

Minato Namikaze was sitting in the cramped, moldy apartment . It was an old, rundown building on the outskirts of the vast metropolis known as Central, one of the largest cities in the Fire Region, heavily guarded by the militia. It was probably a bad idea for him to be there, but he needed to find out where they had moved the anchor.

Minato ran his fingers through his hair and flipped through a journal that had been written by Hashirama Senju. Within the journal, Hashirama had written about the Life Stream and its incredible powers. He had written that it was apart of everyone and that everything was apart of it. Minato wasn't even sure how to make sense of it, after all, it was Hashirama who had led the group to study the Life Stream.

The blond man sighed softly and snapped the leather bound journal closed. He'd already read the journal so many times, he could recite certain passages out loud. Minato wasn't even sure why he kept reading it, maybe because he wanted to believe there was a way to find another anchor. Closing his eyes, Minato pinched the bridge of his nose and tossed the book onto the old scuffed up wooden desk.

"Minato!" Someone burst through the door, causing Minato to jolt in his seat. When he turned to look at the person, who rudely barged in the blue eyed man looked surprised. "Sorry to startle you, but I was down at the transport station and you won't believe what I found."

"What?" Minato asked the young gentlemen who had entered the room.

"Machine guns," the young man replied, his dark eyes locking with Minato's. "At least a hundred of them."

Minato tore his eyes away and let out a deep breath. If the Sharingan Federation had machine guns, everyone they faced would fall to them. Obito was slowly on his way to becoming one of the most powerful men in the world. They had to stop them. They couldn't let those guns leave Central.

"When were they leaving?" Minato asked, turning his eyes to the man with the light gray hair that fell to his shoulders. His clothes were damp with sweat and he was panting lightly.

"Tomorrow at dawn," he replied. "What are we going to do? If HQ gets ahold of those guns, everything could change."

"I know, Shin, I know," Minato stated with a nod and got to his feet. The wooden stool he was on creaked and his boots padded lightly on the ground. His eyes ventured over to the window and he quietly moved to it. Lifting his gloved hand, Minato pulled the white lace drapes back and looked across Central to the large warehouse that once used to be a train station. It was huge with a rusty red roof and made of steel beams and rods. "We have to do something, but getting into the transport station isn't simple."

"I can do it," Shin assured him, placing his hand on his serrated blade tucked into the black leather scabbard hooked to his belt. "I'm fast."

"You're also wanted," Minato reminded him with a smirk. "We have to do this right and carefully." He let the drape fall from his hand and walked over to Shin. Placing a hand on the boys shoulder, Minato smiled weakly and Shin furrowed his brows.

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me?" Shin asked, looking into Minato's bright blue eyes, searching for answers. They hadn't known each other that six months tops. Shin had been injured and Minato stumbled upon him, helping him and nursing him back to health. Since then, they've stuck together and Shin never did understand why. "I was just some lowly foot soldier and you saved my life."

"I had a son, you remind me of him," Minato explained, looking into Shin's eyes. "He was a couple of years younger than you." Minato pressed his lips together and looked back down at the ground. He couldn't help but wonder what had happened to his son. Had he grown up? Had he died? Did he still live in that shanty town? So much time had gone by since the day he left his family and not a single day went by that he didn't think about them.

"Was?" Shin repeated softly.

"I haven't seen or heard from him for nine years," Minato explained, looking depressed and hurt. He walked away from Shin and went over to the wooden stool by the desk, taking a seat. "I barely remember what he looks like."

"I'm sorry," Shin said gently. He knew how Minato felt, he too had lost contact with his own family. It had been years since he'd seen his father and his brother. Although, Shin didn't want to see his father again. It was his father who got him into this mess. His father sold him and his brother to the soldiers. He didn't even think twice about them, he just sold them away like they were animals.

Shin could never forgive his father for that.

"You have a brother, right?" Minato asked, looking over at Shin, who had leaned against the wall.

He nodded. "Yes, I did," Shin spoke quietly, remembering the last moment he saw his brother. They were in a cage being pulled by two large black oxen. When they arrived to one of the military encampments, they were separated. He had no idea what happened to his brother, nor did he know where he went or whether he was even alive. Sometimes, Shin just lost faith and wanted to put an end to it all. "His name was Sai. The last time I saw him was at a military encampment in the north. That was seven years ago." Shin ran his fingers through his hair and let out a breath, saying it out loud made it seem so much worse.

"Do you think he's still alive?" Minato asked him.

"No," Shin answered sadly.

Minato frowned and looked away from Shin. "Did you ever think to look for him?"

"Yeah," Shin paused, "About three months before you found me all banged up, I went AWOL. I looked everywhere, but no one knew of him. I just assumed he was dead." Shin shrugged his shoulders, a grimace on his face and a pained glow in his eyes.

"You never told me how you incurred those injuries," Minato mentioned and Shin stifled a laugh.

"It was my sorry attempt at suicide," Shin replied, causing Minato to furrowed his brows. "I charged platoon, hoping I would end up dead. Turns out, I didn't really want to die. I fought back and ended up slaughtering thirty men."

"And you received a broken arm, a broken ankle, and three gaping wounds on your torso," Minato finished for him. He looked at Shin, who was nodding and gazing at the floor. Shin was only twenty-one years old and he'd faced such adversity. Minato couldn't believe what the world had become.

Children had nothing to look forward to in life. Most joined the militia or aided it in some way. Whether they provided food, doctored the wounded, buried the fallen, crafted weapons, or fought for them, children never stood a chance. They didn't get to go to school, make friends, or even play like children should.

Minato wondered how people even managed to raise families in this world torn apart by war. It sickened him to see how the military pushed their way around, disregarding everyone and everything. That was the very reason Minato had to stop them from finding the Life Stream. If the wrong person got a hold of its power, they could ruin everything beautiful in this world. It was already happening as it was.

"Why did you decide you wanted to live?" Minato inquired, looking directly into Shin's eyes. "What changed your mind?" he pressed, waiting for the young man's answer.

"Because once you're dead, that's it." Shin stared at Minato, who stared right back at him. "Your just a body in the ground, what good does that do?"

* * *

Sakura had migrated over to the bar, hoping to get something to eat and maybe a little water. She felt exhausted, her muscles ached, her skin was burned from the brutal summer sun, and her hair was like a bird's nest. All she wanted was to shower, stuff her face, and sleep. Sakura had a feeling she wouldn't be able to have those type of luxuries though. As far as she knew, this was the last place she would ever be able to sleep in a bed. After having spoken with Tsunade earlier, all she could imagine was sleeping on the cold, hard ground. She scrunched her nose at the idea of sleeping out in the wilderness.

The man behind the bar placed a cup of water in front of her. She blinked a few times before looking to him. He was brutish-looking with graying hair, leathery skin, and beady eyes. His mouth was covered by a scruffy looking mustache and the hair of his eyebrows were going in fifty different directions. She smiled weakly at him, mouthing a thank you.

He grunted in compliance and walked to the other side of the bar.

Picking up the cup of water, she took a small sip. It wasn't cold, but it was better than nothing at all. When she put the cup back down, Sakura turned on the stool. She rested her elbows up on the wooden counter and looked around the room. The windows had either been boarded up or barred by metal rods. Candles and wooden torches were alight, giving the room an orange hue. The floors were dusty and scuffed, tables were scattered about some empty, others were seated with a few people. The people came in all different shapes and sizes, some appeared meaner than others, and some appeared to be beanpoles.

Sakura slouched further in her seat, wondering if this was going to be her life now. She would be one of these people. The options weren't something to be desired. It seemed that she could either be a bum or a drifter, neither was appealing. Glancing over her shoulder, Sakura reached for her cup of water. Bringing it to her lips, she took another sip and looked over at the front entrance.

The doors were kicked open. Literally.

Sakura almost choked on her water, nearly dropping the cup to the floor because of the loud sound. She straightened up in her seat and turned around. The last thing she wanted was for the two men that just entered to come over and harass her.

Everyone in the room had gone quiet when the two men entered. Sakura wasn't sure if it was because of the abrupt entrance or because they were dangerous. It was probably both though. She brushed her pink hair behind her ear and listened to their footfalls on the wooden floor.

Each step caused the floor to creak loudly.

Each step got louder as they came closer.

She shivered when their shadows loomed on either side of her. Naruto and Sasuke had been gone for over an hour now, meaning they wouldn't be coming to her aid. Biting her lip, Sakura tried to be nonchalant and took another sip of her water. Just as she put it down on the wooden counter, the man to her left leaned in beside her. She looked at him through the corner of her eye and pressed her lips together tightly.

He was a stocky man with broad shoulders and a square jaw. His eyes were light in color and his skin was rather fair in complexion. Sakura glanced down at his arm that was resting on the wooden counter. It was covered in scars, hundreds of them. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes traveled up to his shoulders, every inch of that arm scarred.

The scarred man reached for her, gently touching her hair. "What unusual hair you have, little girl," he gruffly spoke, causing Sakura to grimace.

The other man on her right laughed darkly, leaning on the counter as well. Sakura snuck a glance at him. Tall, burly, long burgundy colored hair, copper like skin, and dull brown eyes. She noticed both men were dressed in simple armored plates on their chest and shoulders. They weren't of any of the local militia though, so she was left to believe they were members of a outlaw group. Sakura's eyes ventured to the mens' belts where she saw a peculiar piece of fabric hanging.

"She's a pretty one, I'd bet she'd sell real high," the man to her right said, causing Sakura to shudder. "Young too, meaning she's probably a virgin."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"What's your name girl?" the man on her left asked.

She looked at him, but remained silent.

"Answer the question," he spoke darkly as he straightened out, appearing much taller.

Sakura still didn't answer as she stared up at him. The man becoming annoyed by her lifted his hand to strike, causing Sakura to close her eyes and brace herself. He went in for the swing, but all Sakura heard was a heavy _thud _and the sound of a cup clattering to the floor. When she opened her eyes, she gasped seeing Kakashi on the other side of the bar, holding the man's arm in a twisted fashion.

"What did I tell you about coming in here and kidnapping young women?" Kakashi asked, half his face covered by his mask.

"Why you-"

"Don't even think about it," Yamato said calmly as he came up to the man on Sakura's right side. "The Red Iron isn't welcome in this bar, so leave quietly." The man nodded towards the door, but neither one of them looked like they were ready to leave.

"We got business with this girl," the man Kakashi was holding down hissed.

"Her friend's killed four of our men," the man to the right growled, his fist clenching tightly at his sides. Sakura turned to look at him and remembered that night in the forest. It had all happened so fast, but now she knew that pieces of fabric hanging from their belts were the masks. "And you know what that means."

"It means the world is a happier place now that four of your monkeys are gone," Kakashi joked, earning a glare from the two men. "You have two options leave quietly or we'll take you out." Kakashi's eyes darkened and his grip tightened on the man's arm, causing him to squirm.

"We're the Red Iron," the man pinned down growled viciously.

"Yeah, yeah," Kakashi muttered, knowing what that meant. The Red Iron never backed down, they kept on biting until their hearts stopped beating. This is what gave them their ruthless and merciless titles throughout the southern reached of the Fire Region. To Kakashi's knowledge there were roughly a hundred members in the gang. "But I'm not letting you take this girl, so you can blow that speech out your ass."

"Screw you," the man hissed, causing Kakashi to raise a brow.

The man on the right reacted in an instant. He looped his arm around Sakura's throat and started choking her. Yamato didn't move from his spot, knowing it could end badly if he did. The pinkette grabbed the man's burly arm and tried to pry it away, but it was futile.

"Let him go or I crush her neck," the burly man holding Sakura demanded.

Everyone in the Benbow had gone silent and backed away, leaving plenty of room for a brawl. Sakura could feel herself getting lightheaded from lack of oxygen. She had never been in a situation like this before and while she hated to admit it - she was terrified.

"Easy now," Kakashi said as he slowly released his hold on the scarred man. "I don't really wanna do this and neither do you, so do us both a favor and get out."

"The Red Iron demands payment, a life for a life," the burly man explained as he pulled a folding knife from his pocket. Sakura's eyes widened in fear as he snapped it open in front of her, letting her see the steel glinting in the firelight around the room. The edge was serrated and razor sharp almost like little teeth. "Four of our men dead, means this little girl and her friends die in retribution."

"How are you so sure it's even her and her friends?" Yamato asked, his eyes narrowing at the man as he brought the blade towards Sakura's face.

"We saw them do it," the scarred man answered with a smirk. "The blond kid is pretty good with a crossbow, might take him into our ranks."

"He'd never do it!" Sakura managed to cough out, attempting to break free.

"Kill her," the scarred man commanded and as if it were a reflex the burly man holding her prepared to stab her.

Yamato moved swiftly, pulling a knife from his boot. In one smooth motion, he knelt down to the ground and slashed the sharp blade at the back of the man's legs. Bleed spewed from the injury, splattering onto the wall of the bar. He collapsed to the ground, releasing Sakura and letting her tumble away. When she pushed herself up onto her knees, she looked at the man who had been holding her. He was moaning in pain as he gripped his wound, blood seeping from the cracks of his fingers.

Sakura heard the sound of a blade leaving it's scabbard. She looked at the scarred man next and saw Kakashi take his blade and slide it easily through the man's skull. Looking away in disgusted, Sakura let her head hang between her shoulders. When she heard the blade being pulled from the man's skull, she shivered at the sloshing sound. With a light thud, the body collapsed on the ground beside her.

She looked at the man and gasped.

His eyes were wide open, staring right at her. Yet, they were completely lifeless.

"Well, now we're involved," Yamato said as he stood up, wiping his blade on his dark brown pants. Kakashi snorted and dropped his blade down onto the counter. "The Red Iron will come looking for these two. What now?"

"Patch this one up," Kakashi said, pointing to the man Yamato had attacked. "We'll send him back with money, enough to keep the Red Iron out of the city."

"You think that will be enough?" Yamato asked with a raised brow.

"Yeah, cause I'm sending this with it." Kakashi reached below the counter, slamming an old bottle of wine nearly fifty years old. "Get this cleaned up," Kakashi paused and looked to Sakura, who was still sitting on the ground, "go find your friends, bring them back before anymore of these goons show up." With those words, Kakashi quietly left back to his room.

* * *

_"Kakashi! Listen to me everything is going to stop, the world is going to turn into hell on earth," Minato shouted over the phone as he ran across the parking lot. "It's finally happening."_

_ "What are you talking about?" Kakashi asked as he sat on the balcony of his apartment, having an ice cold beer after a long day at work._

_ "Where are you?" Minato asked, climbing into his car and turning on the ignition. "We have less than an hour, Kakashi."_

_ "You're talking crazy," Kakashi replied with a chuckle as he propped his feet up onto a small table in front of him. He brought his beer bottle up to his lips and took a swig, letting out a refreshed breath. "How do you even know it's going to end?"_

_ "You have to trust me," Minato said simply as he raced down the road, heading straight for his home. He had to get his son and wife ready for the end of the world._

_ The Life Stream had become poisonous and was now causing technology to go haywire. Nothing was making any sense, the one normal white-green light had changed to a fiery-red. Everything that came near it either died or stop work in the case of technology. They had gone too far in their research, they had tampered with it too much. It was just as Hashirama Senju had said, they couldn't play God._

_ "So what's going to happen exactly?" Kakashi asked, sounding completely unamused by it all._

_ "Life as we know, will cease to exist," Minato explained grimly._

_ Kakashi furrowed his brows. The more Minato spoke about it the more worry that came into Kakashi's mind. He didn't know much about the project that Minato was working on, but he knew that the military was trying to harness an ethereal power. It had something to do with all living things, a network of sorts that could give and take life. None of it really ever made sense to Kakashi, but Minato had been working on the project for nearly eight years._

_ "So what are we supposed to do then?" Kakashi inquired, genuinely concerned and wanting an answer. "How do you prepare for something like this? We don't even know what's going to happen or if it will even happen." The silver haired twenty-six year old, yawned and leaned back in his chair._

_ "It's happening, Kakashi," Minato paused, "and it's not going to stop. Hashirama Senju was right, we can't play God and the Life Stream is going to be sure of it."_

_ "Why are you acting as if this thing is alive?" Kakashi asked with a shake of his head._

_ "Because it _**_is_**_ alive!" Minato declared firmly. "The Life Stream is alive."_

_ "I thought it was just a stream of light," Kakashi stated, resting his cheek in the palm of his hand as he got lazy and finished his beer. "How can a stream of light be alive?" he questioned, laughing a bit._

_ "Because it is all living things. I know it doesn't make much sense, but you have to believe me," Minato said as he weaved through traffic. He was nearly home._

_ "How do you know this light is all that incredible?" Kakashi asked as he got up from his chair. He walked to the sliding glass door and pushed it open, stepping inside his apartment. When he slid the door shut, he made his way to the couch and plopped down on it, ready to watch some TV before heading off to bed. It was already ten o'clock at night and he had to be up at five to run drills for the new recruits at the barracks._

_ "Because that 'light' is what saved my son's life," Minato explained and Kakashi tilted his head in intrigue. "Naruto is alive because...because Kushina and I-"_

_ The phone cut off._

_ Kakashi pulled it away from his ear and saw the words 'connection lost' flashing across the screen. Pushing the redial button, Kakashi brought the phone back to his ear. Instead of ringing, Kakashi was met by the loud screeching sound that normally signified a terrorist attack or a tornado warning. Pulling the phone away from his ear, Kakashi immediately hung up._

_ "What the hell?" Kakashi grumbled as he placed the phone down on the coffee table and stood up. He heard the wind picking up outside and walked back towards his balcony. When he stepped outside the wind was gushing as if a massive storm was coming. His dark gray eyes watched as the clouds rolled in and thunder and lightning flashed in the sky._

_ Minato had been right; something bad was going to happen._


End file.
